Creamed Spinach

The French use the name “Florentine” for almost all spinach dishes, supposedly because the fields around Florence once were green with the vegetable. When one sees eggs Florentine, fish Florentine, or mushrooms Florentine on a menu, it is safe to assume that the foods in question are served on a bed of spinach, either puréed or en branche.

The water content of spinach is formidable, and because of this it should be cooked only in the water which clings to its leaves after