My great-grandparents, their siblings, my grandparents, all their friends, everyone belonged to the club.
Light fluffy matzo balls floating in crystal-clear chicken consomme with tiny cubes of carrot.
Crisply fried breaded veal cutlets.
Photo: William Dickey
A killer Sacher torte.
This focus on food was especially useful, as my great-grandmother notoriously did not cook.
Occasionally someone would cheekily request a second portion.
That someone might have been me.
The creamed spinach at the Covenant Club was different from any I had encountered before.
The spinach was finely chopped, no long straggly leaves falling off your spoon en route to your mouth.
Over the years, my grandmother made her own changes, and I have made mine.
I make it for most holidays and frequently for dinner parties.
It freezes beautifully, so I can make it ahead and reheat it as needed.
I have converted many an “I don’t like spinach” skeptic into a spinach lover with this!
And since it uses frozen spinach, it’s possible for you to make it any time of year.
This year, we’ll have it in his memory.
Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; bring to a simmer.
Stir in 1 tablespoon cornstarch slurry and bring to a gentle boil.
Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thick and smooth, about 30 seconds.
Remove from heat and set aside.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until the foaming subsides.
Add 1/4 cup onion; cook, stirring, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the reserved sauce, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/2 cup Parmesan.
Stir well and cook, stirring frequently, until completely blended and heated through, about 2 minutes more.
Gentle and slow reheating is crucial for the best results.
If you overcook the spinach, it will lose its texture, so be mindful of the cooking time.
The sauce will also thicken as it cools.
If you think you’ve made a mistake, give it a minute or two before you decide.
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient.
