Spinach Two Ways

Spinach Two Ways
Creamed Cauliflower and Spinach - Perfect Side Dish 
and
Fish Spinach and Pasta Bake

 I was multi-tasking
Cooking up for the next couple of days, these dishes have things in common, so I cooked them at the same time

Two dishes using Spinach, one as a side dish and the other a full meal
One using fresh Spinach, one using frozen
AND by the way...both delicious
Enough of each, to freeze for later maybe
These little Spinach balls are great

I always have frozen spinach, peas and corn in the freezer
So useful
The Bake is a good family dish
So lets attack the Cauliflower dish first 

This is a side dishes…I paired it with Pan Fried Fish
But equally good with Grilled Lamb or Beef
Gluten free too
It is quite rich, very creamy but slipped down really easily

   Bag of fresh baby spinach
   1 small cauliflower head [cut into florets]
   1 small onion [diced]
   1/2 cup • shredded mozzarella [plus a little more for on top]
    2 tbsp • cream
    1 tbsp • butter [plus a little more for sautéing the onion
    1/2 tsp • nutmeg
    pinch of ground cloves
    salt and pepper

Bring a medium pot of water to the boil.
Once it boils rapidly,
add the cauliflower florets and boil for about 10 minutes till tender
When the cauliflower is cooked, use a slotted spoon to scoop the florets into a food
processor.

Blitz the cauliflower until smooth with the cream and butter.
Season with salt and pepper.

 While the cauliflower boils, sauté the onion in a little bit of butter until soft 

then add the spinach, nutmeg and cloves and cook until wilted.

Now mix the cauliflower, spinach, onion and cheese together,
Adjust seasoning if needed, and scoop into a cast iron pan or small baking dish.

Place in a 180C cook for about 10 minutes
Then to finish off
Slide under the broiler until the cheese is golden brown.
I forgot to put the cheese on top. It was good but would be better with it

Meanwhile, at the same time  I made a Fish, Spinach Pasta Dish
Baked in a Cheesy Creamy Béchamel Sauce

This has a light citrus flavour, due to marinating the fish
The top, after it bakes is so crunchy and yummy
Very easy to pick those crispy bits off before you serve
and I did!!!

For 4 people
300 gms Pasta cooked  Penne or shells
3 cups of prepared Béchamel Sauce
1/2 cup grated cheese

1 onion finely diced
1 tablespoon butter

8 Balls of Frozen Spinach thawed and all juice squeezed out
300 gms Hapuka/Groper or any other meaty fish, Monkfish could work
Zest and Juice of a lemon
2 Tablespoons of Olive oil
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Grated Cheese for topping

First
Sauce onion in a little butter
Set aside

Make Béchamel Sauce

150 gms butter
120 gms flour
1 tsp mustard
Sea salt and white pepper
1 bay leaf
6 peppercorns
3 cups milk
Make a roux.
Melt butter in pan
Add flour and seasoning and mustard
Mix well to cook flour out
Heat milk with bay leaf and peppercorns
Strain and add all at once to roux.
Whisk well and cook till thickened
Add cheese
Set aside

Fish
Cut fish into 1.5 cm cubes
Place in an non metallic container
Add Lemon zest, juice, Olive oil and S & P
Marinate for about 30 minutes just to start the cooking process

Cook pasta to manufacturers instructions
Drain and set aside

Place onion, béchamel and thawed spinach into a large container
Add pasta, Mix well

If it is too dry just add some more milk
mix well, best to be quite thin, the pasta will absorb the sauce

Place in an oven proof baking dish
Cover with Grated cheese
1/2 into the freezer

Bake at 180C for 25-30 minutes until bubbling and golden on top

The Crispy bits are so good