May 20, 2022

Paul’s Spinach Gratin

By Jeff Bland

It never ceases to amaze me: the genius and creativity of the culinary world! Our good friend, Chef Paul Canales of Oakland’s Duende Restaurant shares this phytonutrient powerhouse dish!

You may remember Paul from his fantastic HTB Super Nutrition Flour Crêpe recipe, found here. He’s back with another palette pleaser that pairs cauliflower and spinach both packed with gut-nurturing plant compounds and vitamins.

Paul’s Spinach Gratin

This delicious dish is perfect when served as a side to your entrée, but can also be enjoyed as a vegetarian snack or light meal. Note that it has 3 sections for preparation and we’ve broken out the ingredient list to accompany each phase of the process.

Yields 8-10 servings.

INGREDIENTS

For the cauliflower:

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

1 ounce extra virgin olive oil

1 ounce water

1 teaspoon sea salt

For the spinach:

1 ounce extra virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

4 cups spinach, small leaves, loose

For the béchamel (also known as a roux or white sauce):

4 tablespoons butter or ghee, grass-fed

4 tablespoons Himalayan Tartary Buckwheat Super Nutrition Flour

2½ cups milk*

1 teaspoon sea salt

nutmeg to taste

METHOD

Cauliflower Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet (or non-stick baking sheet). Place in oven and bake until golden, approximately 20-25 minutes. Return cauliflower to the mixing bowl when finished cooking.

Spinach Preparation:

Place the olive oil and garlic in a medium sauté pan over high heat. When the garlic blooms, giving off its characteristic aroma, add the spinach by the handful, swirling and mixing quickly to ensure the garlic doesn’t burn and minimize the release of water from the spinach. When all the spinach has been added and is wilted, remove the contents of the pan to the bowl with the cauliflower and mix thoroughly.

Béchamel Preparation:

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in the HTB Super Nutrition Flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit, but don’t let it brown — about 2 minutes. Add the milk, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens. Bring it to a boil. Add salt and nutmeg to taste, lower the heat, and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from the heat. Add the béchemel to the cauliflower and spinach mixture and incorporate thoroughly‡.

For the gratin (bringing it all together):

Butter a 10”x 7” baking dish and spoon in the cauliflower and spinach mixture. Smooth out the contents of the baking dish to ensure even cooking. Place gratin in the 350°F oven and bake until golden and gently bubbling, approximately 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

*If organic, grass-fed milk doesn’t align with your health goals, you can try adding your milk-alternative of choice in ½-1 cup increments up to 2¼ cup to desired thickness.

‡If you would like to add cheese at this point, you can add up to ½ cup of shredded sheep’s cheese, like Manchego!