Spinach and watercress in cream is an iconic British dish that makes a delightful and nutritious lunch or light dinner. It's quick and easy to make and requires just a few simple ingredients: spinach, watercress, cream, butter, and seasoning. The result is a flavorful and creamy sauce that perfectly complements the fresh, peppery taste of the greens. Serve it on buttered toast, with potatoes, or rice for a complete and satisfying meal. Let's dive in and explore the best way to cook spinach and watercress in cream!
Here are our top 11 tried and tested recipes!
SPINACH-AND-WATERCRESS DIP
Spinach-watercress dip becomes a handheld salad when scooped up by lettuce leaves.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Appetizers
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Wash spinach; drain, but do not dry. Transfer to a large stockpot. Cover, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel, and squeeze out excess liquid. Let cool slightly; coarsely chop. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate, and let cool slightly.
- Whisk together yogurt and lemon zest and juice in a medium bowl. Stir in spinach, onion, and watercress; season with salt and pepper. Garnish with watercress sprigs, and serve with lettuce leaves for dipping.
SPINACH AND WATERCRESS IN CREAM
Provided by Pierre Franey
Categories easy, quick, side dish
Time 10m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Pick over the spinach and discard tough stems and blemished leaves. Rinse and drain well. There should be about 8 cups, loosely packed.
- Cut off the tough ends of the watercress. Rinse and drain well. There should be about 3 1/2 cups, loosely packed.
- Combine spinach, watercress, cream, butter, salt and a generous grinding of pepper in a saucepan. Sprinkle with nutmeg.
- Cook, turning the greens in the sauce, about 5 minutes. Serve hot.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 150, UnsaturatedFat 4 grams, Carbohydrate 5 grams, Fat 14 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 4 grams, SaturatedFat 8 grams, Sodium 386 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram, TransFat 0 grams
CREAMED SPINACH
Provided by Rob Feenie
Categories christmas,nuts,quick and easy,side,Summer,vegetables
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- In a large fry pan over medium heat, melt butter. Sweat shallots and garlic. Add spinach and watercress, season and wilt. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Squeeze out excess moisture.
- In a saucepot, reduce cream with water chestnuts until thick (so that the cream will coat the back of a spoon.) Add wilted spinach and watercress and coat greens with cream. Adjust seasoning.
SPINACH AND WATERCRESS SALAD WITH LIME VINAIGRETTE
Provided by Food Network
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Combine the spinach, watercress and onion in a bowl. Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and toss to coat well. Serve immediately on chilled plates.
BAKED CHICKEN WITH WATERCRESS OR SPINACH SAUCE
Make and share this Baked Chicken With Watercress or Spinach Sauce recipe from Food.com.
Provided by English_Rose
Categories Chicken Breast
Time 40m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place in the bottom of an oven proof dish.
- Cover with the sliced onion and pour over the white wine.
- Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Place the watercress or spinach in a liquidizer.
- When the chicken is cooked, drain off the cooking liquid onto the watercress or spinach.
- Add the cream cheese to the liquid and blnd until smooth.
- Pour the liquid into a saucepan and heat, seasoning to taste with the vegetable bouillon powder.
- When the chicken is cooked, remove from the oven and slice.
- place the sliced chicken on serving plates and coat with the sauce.
- Serve with salad.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 319.5, Fat 15.1, SaturatedFat 9, Cholesterol 111.3, Sodium 215.6, Carbohydrate 5.6, Fiber 0.6, Sugar 1.8, Protein 31.6
FAST AND EASY CREAMED SPINACH
This is a little easier, a little quicker, a little more contemporary, and believe it or not, a little lighter than traditional creamed spinach. Have all your ingredients ready to go ahead of time. It's a classic steak side dish.
Provided by Chef John
Categories Side Dish Vegetables Greens
Time 35m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Pour olive oil into a large soup pot, place over high heat, add spinach, and cover. Cook for 1 minute, uncover, and lightly stir until most of the leaves are bright green and wilted, about 2 minutes. Quickly drain spinach in a strainer and transfer to a plate lined with 4 or 5 paper towels. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze as much liquid from the spinach as possible. Transfer spinach to a cutting board and coarsely chop.
- Mix salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg in a small bowl.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter in skillet, and stir shallot in the hot butter until just barely golden and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir seasoning mixture into shallot mixture and pour in cream. Raise heat to medium-high and reduce cream sauce to about half, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon zest.
- Reduce heat to low and toss spinach with cream sauce in skillet. Cook and stir until spinach is heated through and coated, about 2 minutes. Stir Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into spinach until thoroughly combined; serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 178.9 calories, Carbohydrate 7.1 g, Cholesterol 47 mg, Fat 15.6 g, Fiber 3.4 g, Protein 5.7 g, SaturatedFat 8.7 g, Sodium 173.4 mg, Sugar 0.8 g
SIMPLE SPINACH AND WATERCRESS SOUP
Make and share this Simple Spinach and Watercress Soup recipe from Food.com.
Provided by lovefood
Categories Clear Soup
Time 10m
Yield 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- heat oil in a large pan.
- Add onions and cook for 3 minutes stirring occasionally till they begin to soften.
- add the potatoes, water, marjoram, thyme and bay leaf. pinch of salt for taste.
- bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and cook gently for about 25minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- remove the bay leaf and herb sprigs.
- add the spinach and water cress and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, just until it is completely wilted.
- allow the soup to cool slightly, then transfer to blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
- return the soup to the sauce pan and thin with a little more water, if wished.
- season to taste with salt pepper and nutmeg.
- place over a low heat and simmer until reheated.
- ladle soup into bowls and swirl cream into each bowl(optional).
- for vegan omit cream.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 110.6, Fat 0.4, SaturatedFat 0.1, Sodium 67.2, Carbohydrate 23.9, Fiber 4.1, Sugar 2.3, Protein 5
EASY CREAMED SPINACH
Our take on the classic creamed spinach side dish uses fresh spinach and cream cheese as a thickener. It's a crowd pleasing recipe that's popular with both young and old.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Healthy Recipes Gluten-Free Recipes
Time 30m
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spinach, and cook just until wilted, about 1 minute. Drain in a colander; rinse with cold water until cool. Squeeze spinach to remove as much liquid as possible; coarsely chop, and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add cream cheese and milk; cook, stirring, until cream cheese is melted and smooth. Stir in spinach. Simmer over medium heat until mixture thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. Add nutmeg; season with salt and pepper.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 225 g, Fat 17 g, Fiber 4 g, Protein 9 g
SPINACH & WATERCRESS SALAD
Superhealthy and good source of vitamin C
Provided by Lesley Waters
Categories Buffet, Dinner, Lunch, Side dish, Starter, Supper, Vegetable
Time 5m
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Whisk together oil and lemon juice, then season. In a bowl, mix the leaves and onion. Drizzle dressing over and toss to combine.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 66 calories, Fat 6 grams fat, SaturatedFat 1 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 2 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 1 grams sugar, Fiber 1 grams fiber, Protein 2 grams protein, Sodium 0.11 milligram of sodium
CREAMED SPINACH III
A little nutmeg makes this creamed spinach recipe my granny's favorite! Use a pinch more nutmeg when serving.
Provided by mscougar
Categories Side Dish Vegetables Greens
Time 40m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix heavy cream, butter, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.
- Place spinach in a vegetable steamer, and steam until leaves are wilted. Drain in a colander, pressing out excess water with a large spoon.
- Coarsely chop spinach in a food processor, and gradually stir into the heavy cream mixture. Briefly return to boiling, then remove from heat.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 181.6 calories, Carbohydrate 5.1 g, Cholesterol 56 mg, Fat 17.3 g, Fiber 2.6 g, Protein 3.9 g, SaturatedFat 10.7 g, Sodium 392.5 mg, Sugar 0.6 g
SPINACH & WATERCRESS SOUP
Go veggie, go green and go filling! This simple and vibrant soup is healthy, 3 of your 5-a-day and ready in 10 minutes
Provided by Good Food team
Categories Lunch, Soup, Supper
Time 10m
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Put the spinach, watercress, spring onion, vegetable stock, avocado, cooked rice, lemon juice and mixed seeds in a blender with seasoning. Whizz until smooth. Heat until piping hot. Scatter over some toasted seeds if you want added crunch.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 457 calories, Fat 26 grams fat, SaturatedFat 6 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 33 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 2 grams sugar, Fiber 9 grams fiber, Protein 18 grams protein, Sodium 0.5 milligram of sodium
Tips:
- Select Fresh, High-Quality Greens: Choose watercress and spinach that are deeply colored, crisp, and free from blemishes. They should have a vibrant, peppery aroma.
- Wash Greens Thoroughly: Before using, thoroughly wash the watercress and spinach under cold running water to remove any dirt or grit.
- Chop or Tear Greens: Chop the watercress and spinach into bite-sized pieces. You can also tear the leaves into smaller pieces, especially if you prefer a more rustic texture.
- Use Unsalted Butter: Unsalted butter allows you to control the amount of salt in the dish. This is important as the cheese and cream can also contribute to the saltiness.
- Cook Greens Briefly: Spinach and watercress cook quickly, so be careful not to overcook them. Aim for just a few minutes of cooking, until they are slightly wilted and tender.
- Use Good Quality Cheese: Choose a flavorful, hard cheese that melts well, such as Parmesan, Gruyère, or sharp cheddar. Freshly grated cheese will provide the best flavor.
- Don't Overcrowd the Pan: When cooking the greens, avoid overcrowding the pan. This will help them cook evenly and prevent them from becoming soggy.
- Season to Taste: Taste the dish before serving and adjust the seasoning as needed. You may want to add more salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon juice.
Conclusion:
The recipes presented in this article offer a delicious and versatile way to enjoy the goodness of spinach and watercress. Whether you prefer a creamy sauce, a tangy vinaigrette, or a simple sauté, these recipes provide options to suit various tastes and preferences. By following the tips mentioned above, you can ensure that your spinach and watercress dishes turn out flavorful, nutritious, and visually appealing. Experiment with different ingredients, cooking methods, and flavor combinations to create your own unique recipes that celebrate the vibrant flavors and health benefits of these leafy greens.
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