Shelly's Recipe

CREAMY SPINACH CASSEROLE

Category: Spinach

1 cup milk
1 cup cream
2 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
5 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 1/2 lbs fresh spinach leaves
3 tbsp butter
1 cup onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp flour
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
2 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp fresh-ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Bring the milk, cream, cloves, bay leaf, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and strain the milk mixture into a clean saucepan. Cover the saucepan to keep it warm and set aside.

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and crisp; drain, reserving 3 tablespoons of fat. In the same skillet, use 1 tablespoon of reserved bacon fat to cook 1/3 of the spinach until it is wilted. Transfer to a large bowl and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Repeat in two more batches with remaining spinach, bacon fat, and salt. Squeeze all liquid out of the spinach, chop finely, and set aside in a large bowl.

Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until lightly golden. Add the hot milk mixture and bring to a boil. Add the cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, pepper, and crumbled bacon and whisk until smooth. Pour the cream sauce over the spinach and stir to combine. Transfer spinach mixture to an 11-inch round baking dish and bake until the top is lightly browned, about 35 minutes. Serve immediately.