Subrics d’Épinards

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •6-quart pot
• •Fine-mesh colander
• •Clean kitchen towel
• •10-inch heavy skillet or omelet pan
• •Thin flexible spatula
• •Wire draining rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Blanch and squeeze

   Bring a 6-quart pot of water to a strong boil and add 1 tablespoon of the measured salt. Blanch the spinach in two or three batches until collapsed and deep green, about 45 to 60 seconds per batch. Transfer it immediately to cold water, drain well, then gather it in a clean towel and squeeze firmly until no more water runs. Weigh out 1 lb (450 g) of cooked spinach and chop it finely.

   The source proportions begin with a pound of prepared spinach, not a pound of raw leaves. Weigh after blanching and squeezing so the Béchamel, cream and eggs remain in their proper ratio.
2. 2

   Dry in butter

   Melt the unsalted butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped spinach and turn it steadily for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking up compacted clumps, until the leaves separate and the pan shows no wet streak when you draw the spatula across it. If moisture still gathers, keep cooking. Ça se rattrape now, before the eggs enter. Take the pan from the heat, spread the spinach out and let it cool until it is no longer hot enough to make the mixture hiss.

3. 3

   Bind off the heat

   Whisk the cooled, very reduced Béchamel with the thick cream, whole egg, three yolks, remaining teaspoon of salt, white pepper and nutmeg. Fold this binder thoroughly into the spinach away from the heat. The mixture should drop from a spoon as a compact mound and relax slowly, not pour. If it slumps at once, chill it for 15 minutes. If it remains loose, stir it in a clean saucepan over the lowest heat only until the egg begins to give it body, then spread it out and cool again. Ça se rattrape, and no breadcrumbs are needed.

4. 4

   Heat clarified butter

   Wipe the 10-inch skillet clean and add enough clarified butter to stand about 1/8 inch (3 mm) deep. Heat it to 350°F to 355°F (175°C to 180°C). Without a thermometer, test with the tip of a teaspoon of mixture: it should fizz vigorously the instant it lands, yet the edges should not darken before the centre sets. Clarified butter matters because ordinary butter's milk solids would burn before the batches were finished.

5. 5

   Spoon and turn once

   Take up a rounded tablespoon of spinach mixture, about 1 ounce (25 to 30 g), and push it gently into the butter with the back of a second spoon. Make five or six at a time, leaving at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) between them so their edges fry rather than join. Cook for about 1 minute, until the undersides are golden and firm enough to lift, then turn each subric once with a thin spatula or fork. Colour the second side for another 45 to 60 seconds; the centre should be set and tender, with no liquid egg remaining. If the test subric spreads, remove it, return the butter to temperature and chill the remaining mixture before continuing.

6. 6

   Drain and serve

   Lift the finished subrics onto a rack or absorbent paper and hold them in a warm oven only while the remaining batches cook, no longer than 10 minutes. Arrange them loosely in a warmed shallow serving dish so their bronzed surfaces remain distinct. Bring the warm cream sauce to the table separately, letting each person spoon it beside the subrics rather than burying their colour. À table!

Chef Tips

• •The very reduced Béchamel should sit on a spoon like a soft paste. If yours pours like an ordinary sauce, reduce it gently before measuring the required amount, then cool it completely.
• •Frozen leaf spinach is an honest substitute when fresh spinach is tired. Thaw it, squeeze it with real conviction, and weigh exactly 1 lb (450 g) after squeezing; chopped frozen spinach can become too fine and pasty.
• •Use clarified butter, not margarine and not a neutral frying oil. Its clean butter flavour belongs to the subrics, while the removed milk solids let it face the necessary heat without scorching.
• •Serve the cream sauce beside the subrics, not poured over the whole dish. The sauce gives richness, but the little bronzed faces should reach the table intact.

Advance Preparation

• •Blanch, squeeze, chop and dry the spinach in butter up to one day ahead. Cool it quickly, cover and refrigerate, then bring it just to cool room temperature before adding the binder.
• •The Béchamel and cream sauce may be prepared ahead and refrigerated separately. Keep the Béchamel cold for binding and reheat the cream sauce gently, loosening it with a spoonful of cream if it has tightened.
• •The bound spinach mixture may wait covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours. Fry the subrics shortly before serving, since their delicate exterior softens during a long hold.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 230g)