The Book Tour Stops Here: A Review of "Without Light or Guide" by T. Frohock, Served Up with a Recipe for Espinacas con Garbanzos (Spanish Chickpeas & Spinach Tapas)

It's my last TLC Book Tour of the year (and can you believe that this final review makes it 50 book tour reviews for the year!?) and it's a slightly different genre for me--historical science-fiction. Today I am reviewing the novella, Without Light or Guide: Los Nefilim Part Two by T. Frohock (with a glimpse of Part 1 Midnight's Silence included). Set in Spain, primarily in the 1930s, this series creates a unique otherworld of angels and demons. Accompanying my book review is a recipe for Espinacas con Garbanzos (Spanish Chickpeas & Spinach), a tapas or small plate dish, inspired by my reading.   

Publisher's Blurb:

Always holding themselves aloft from the affairs of mortals, Los Nefilim have thrived for eons. But with the Spanish Civil War looming, their fragile independence is shaken by the machinations of angels and daimons… and a half breed caught in between. Although Diago Alvarez has pledged his loyalty to Los Nefilim, there are many who don’t trust his daimonic blood. And with the re-emergence of his father—a Nefil who sold his soul to a daimon—the fear is Diago will soon follow the same path. Yet even as Diago tries to prove his allegiance, events conspire that only fuel the other Nefilim’s suspicions—including the fact that every mortal Diago has known in Barcelona is being brutally murdered.

Print Length: 128 pages
Publisher: Harper Voyager Impulse (November 3, 2015)

 
My Review: 

No matter how well each book stands on its own, I have a *thing* about reading a series in order, so when the chance to read this second book in the Los Nefilim series, I asked for a copy of the first book, In Midnight's Silence. So you know that as usual, I am going to recommend that you start with In Midnight's Silence too--both e-books are only .99 cents right now on Amazon, they are quick read novellas, and both are interesting and enjoyable stories--so well worth it. But, just in case you don't take my advice, the author provides a brief recap or refresher of the events and people in the first book which is super helpful since the world of the Los Nefilim world is complicated. I think if you are going to have a series of novellas with lots of characters and world-building, recaps like this are a brilliant idea. Thumbs up to the author for such a smart idea!

Book One, Midnight's Silence, sets up the world of Los Nefilim, a group of angel-born reincarnates that monitor demon activity for the angels. Diago Alvarez, was born of an angel mother and a former Nefil with demonic parents, and is caught between the two groups, remaining neutral in their conflict. It is 1931 in Spain and Diago has a lover, Miquel, who is an officer in Los Nefilim. The two live together in Barcelona, after Miquel,was reassigned there from Seville by Los Nefilim's leader Guillermo. Diago returns home one evening from his job teaching music and finds Miquel has been taken by an angel (Prieto) and Diago is forced to offer a child to the daimon Moloch in exchange for a coin Prieto wants that holds the key to a powerful bomb. Diago must use his wits and the power of his song to save Miquel and the child, who he has a very personal connection to.

Without Light or Guide picks up shortly after Midnight's Silence leaves off. Diago and Miquel are back in Seville with (spoiler if you haven't read the first book) his newly-found son Rafael, recovering from the grave wounds he received from his battle with Moloch. Diago has chosen to pledge his allegiance to Guillermo and Los Nefilim, in part so that Rafael will be protected but finds him self doubted by many--who think he will choose the daimon side like his father. Guillermo has a dangerous assignment for Diago as the battle between the angels and daimons escalates, putting the mortal world and Los Nefilim even more at risk. 

Whew! It is hard to explain these books and have it make sense and do justice to the dark and detailed world that T. Frohock has created--the historical aspects of the 1930's Spain setting, the fantasy realm of angels, daimons, Los Nefilim, and the songs that give them their power. You also have love--familial with Rafael and the enduring romantic love between Diago and Miquel, loyalty and betrayal, and the crisscrossing lines of good and evil. Although different from most of my usual reading, I found myself caring about the characters, wrapped up in the story, and looking forward to seeing what comes in the next installment. 
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Author Notes: T. Frohock has turned her love of dark fantasy and horror into tales of deliciously creepy fiction. She currently lives in North Carolina where she has long been accused of telling stories, which is a southern colloquialism for lying. Check out more of her works and news at www.tfrohock.com.

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Food Inspiration:

The Los Nefilim series gets a lot of story telling done but understandably doesn't spend a lot of time on food. There is some mention of pastries, coffee and tea, bread and of course the mentions of Seville made me think of oranges. In Without Light or Guide there is a mention of a pleasant family dinner cooked Miquel including roasted vegetables, bread and butter, and homemade wine. At one point, Diago, new to his role as a father, reaches over and daubs a piece of spinach from Rafael's lips so I decided to take my inspiration from both the spinach and from Spain. When I put the two together and looked on line, several recipes for Espinacas con Garbanzos or Spanish Chickpeas & Spinach came up. Since it seems to be a traditional tapas (small plate) dish in Seville--especially during the cooler months, I thought it a perfect dish to represent the book.

I love that it is such a simple dish that uses pantry and fridge items I usually have stocked up--chickpeas, stale bread, a big container or baby spinach, Marcona almonds (my favorite), and sherry vinegar. For some reason I decided I was nearly out of sherry vinegar (I had over half a bottle--grrr...) and *needed* a second bottle. Cooking along with British chef Nigel Slater got me into drizzling a bit of sherry vinegar on my eggs but I am always looking for different ways to use it up.  There were many different interpretations of the dish online but I liked this stew-like version found at Spanish Sabores.

Espinacas con Garbanzos (Spanish Chickpeas & Spinach Tapas)
Slightly Adapted from Lauren Aloise at Spainish Sabores
(Serves 4 as Small Plate Dish)

Recipe Author Lauren Aloise Notes: Espinacas con garbanzos are a traditional tapa in Seville, especially popular during the chilly winter months and during lent. But the dish’s history goes far beyond Andalusia. Spinach comes from Ancient Persia (modern Iran), where Arab traders got their hands on it and eventually introduced it to the Mediterranean. There are records of spinach being a popular Spanish vegetable by the end of the 12th century, and it was an important ingredient in Moorish and Sephardic Jewish cuisine in Spain."

2 cups of cooked chickpeas
1 large bag (around 10 oz) fresh spinach, washed
2 thick slices of day-old bread (sourdough works well),crusts removed, cut into cubes
15 blanched unsalted Marcona almonds (I had salted rosemary ones from TJs)
1/4 cup tomato sauce (I used about 1/2 cup total)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar if sherry vinegar is hard to come by)
1 tsp ground cumin
ground cayenne pepper, to taste
sea salt and black pepper, to taste
smoked Spanish paprika 
bread to serve with, optional

Coat a large saucepan with extra virgin olive oil and heat to medium-high. Before the oil gets too hot, add the spinach (in batches if necessary) and sauté until just wilted. Remove spinach and strain in a colander.

Re-coat the pan with olive oil and add in the bread cubes and raw almonds. Fry until the bread and almonds are browned and crispy on each side. Add the chopped garlic, cumin, cayenne and black pepper and sauté for a couple of minutes, until the garlic is fragrant and turning brown.

Transfer the saucepan ingredients to a blender/food processor and add the sherry vinegar. Blend the ingredients together by pulsing until you have a thick paste (don't over blend and make it gooey).
 
Return the paste to the saucepan and add your garbanzo beans and tomato sauce. Stir gently until the chickpeas are fully coated by the sauce (add a bit of water to thin things out if needed). Add the spinach and stir gently until it is evenly incorporated and everything is heated through.
 
Taste and season with salt and pepper.
 
To Plate, Place chickpea-spinach mixture in a bowl and drizzle a swirl of extra virgin olive oil on top, then sprinkle on a small amount of smoked Spanish paprika. Serve with grilled bread if desired.

Notes/Results: Such an easy dish with wonderful flavor. The sherry vinegar really stands out, adding a pop of flavor to the beans and spinach. I found that I wanted more tomato sauce (and some water) for thinning out the sauce and enabling it to cover the beans and almond/toasted bread paste. Although there is bread in the mixture, this dish is really nice eaten on/with grilled bread (I rubbed mine with garlic after toasting), or it can be eaten like a hearty stew. Quick to the table and really delicious, I will be making this again for an easy weeknight meatless meal.

Note: Review copies of "Without Light or Guide" and "In Midnight's Silence" were provided to me by the publisher and TLC Book Tours in return for a fair and honest review. I was not compensated for this review and as always my thoughts and opinions are my own.

You can see the stops for the rest of this Book Tour and what other reviewers thought about the book here.

 

French Potage Parmentier (Potato Soup) with Cilantro Pistou and Curried Croutons for a Cook the Books / Food 'N Flix Crossover: "The Hundred-Foot Journey"

When I saw that Camilla of Culinary Adventures of Camilla had selected The Hundred-Foot Journey as the Food 'N Flix movie for November (See her announcement post here) and I had my hosting turn for Cook the Books scheduled for October/November (see my announcement post here), I knew I had to pick the novel behind the movie by Richard C. Morais and see if we could do an optional crossover event for those who love to both watch foodie movies and read foodie books. Camilla was game, so now it was just a point of watching the movie again and finally getting around to reading the book. ;-)

Both the book and film follow the same story line of Hassan Haji and his family, who leave India after a family tragedy and end up settling in the small village of Lumière, France. They open a noisy family-style Indian restaurant just 100-feet across the road from the fancy and renowned restaurant of Madame Mallory. The 100-feet is at first a huge cultural divide between the Haji family and the prickly Mme. Mallory, but it inspires Hassan to learn French cooking before making his way to Paris to seek his success as a chef. The execution of the movie and book differ quite a bit from each other as is common in film adaptations.

I have to say that is this is one of those handful of exceptions where I actually prefer the movie to the book. Part of that is probably due to the fact that I saw it first, combined with Helen Mirren whom I adore, and I could love her Mme. Mallory, even when she is being mean (because she is Helen *freakin'* Mirren) and not so much the book version. Also, the book drug for me at times and the movie just brought everything to life in a more colorful way. Both the book and the movie did provide plenty of food inspiration, both Indian and French cuisines. I had originally planned to do two separate posts/dishes, one French and one Indian, but as usual the month got away and so I am putting them together into one French-Indian fusion dish, inspired by both the movie and the book.

For a somewhat loosely-inspired dish, based mainly on shortening the distance between the French & Indian cuisines featured, I decided to take a French classic soup that I happen to love, Potage Parmentier (potato leek soup), using a Jacques Pépin recipe and then bring some Indian-inspired flavor to the dish by topping my soup with some curried naan bread croutons and a pleasantly-spicy pistou (or pesto) of cilantro and cashews.

Potato Leek Soup 
Adapted from Jacques Pépin via the New York Times
(Serves 4-6)
 
1 large leek (about 8 oz)  
2 tablespoons olive oil  
1 onion (6 oz), peeled and sliced  
6 cups chicken stock  (I used veggie broth)
1 1/2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces (I used Yukon Gold potatoes) 
salt to taste, depending on the saltiness of the stock  
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 
Stovetop Naan Bread Croutons, for garnish (optional--see recipe below)
Cilantro Pistou, for garnish (optional--see recipe below)

Trim the leek to remove the root and any damaged outer leaves, but leave the remainder of the leaves intact. Split the leek in half lengthwise, and cut it into 1/4-inch pieces. Clean the leek by immersing the pieces in a bowl filled with cold water. Lift the pieces from the water and place them in a sieve.
 
Heat the oil in a pot. When hot, add the leek and onion, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until they soften and begin to brown lightly. Add the stock, potatoes, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Boil for about 30 to 40 minutes, until tender.
 
Strain off most of the juices and reserve them. Add the solids with a little of the juice to the bowl of a food processor and process briefly, just until pureed. (If too much juice is added to the processor bowl, the mixture will become too foamy.) Mix the puree with the reserved juices. You should have about 7 cups. (I added about 2/3 of the solids with a little of the broth to the food processor and left some of the solid pieces for texture.)

The hot soup can be served immediately, with croutons and pistol if desired.
 
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Stove Top Curried Croutons
By Deb, Kahakai Kitchen

1-2 pieces naan bread or bread of choice
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 heaping teaspoons of curry powder of choice
salt and pepper to taste

Cut bread into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Heat a large saute pan over medium heat.

Mix olive oil, curry powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Place bread pieces in bowl and toss in curried oil until evenly covered. 

Add croutons to heated pan and cook, tossing, until crisped and lightly browned on both sides. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to cool. Serve with soup. 

Cilantro Pistou
By Deb, Kahakai Kitchen

1 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro, leaves and small stems
1 green chili pepper (serrano or jalapeño
1 Tbsp peeled and finely grated ginger
1 Tbsp garlic, finely minced
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/3 cup toasted, unsalted cashews or pistachios
3 Tbsp lime juice, or to taste
1/3 cup olive oil + more as needed to thin pesto
salt and black pepper to taste

Place cilantro, chili, ginger, garlic, garam masala, cumin, and peanuts in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the lime juice and 1/3 cup of the olive oil and process until desired consistency, adding more olive oil as needed. Taste and add salt, black pepper and extra lime juice as desired.      

Notes/Results: The soup is simple and good but takes on a whole new life with the spicy and zippy pistou and the savory crisp naan croutons. Thick, hearty, and if you use a veggie stock, a vegan dish that really hits the spot. The naan bread croutons, so crispy and flavorful, were my favorite part of the dish and practically addicting. I think they will become a part of my soup and salad repertoire. My kitchen smelled fabulous, first from the leeks, onion, and potatoes as the soup simmered, then from the cilantro and lime of the pesto, and finally the curried croutons. I will happily make all three components again. 

In addition to Food 'N Flix and Cook the Books, I am linking this soup to I Heart Cooking Clubs where it is Potluck week--the chance to make recipes from Ellie Krieger or any of our previous IHCC chefs like Jacques Pépin.

Tomorrow, Nov. 30th is the deadline for this Food 'N Flix and Cook the Books crossover event. If you missed this round of either/both events, consider joining us for December's Food 'N Flix pick: The Jane Austen Book Club, hosted by Coffee & Casseroles and/or the Cook the Books December/January pick: A Place at the Table by Susan Rebecca White, hosted by Debra of Eliot's Eats. 

Camilla will be rounding up the joint or movie only entries on her blog and I will be rounding up the joint or book only entries at the Cook the Books site shortly after the deadline, so make sure to stop by both roundups to see what dishes that our creative friends were inspired to make.  
 

The Book Tour Stops Here: A Review of "Whistling Women" by Kelly Romo, Served with the Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich: Grilled Cheese Egg In A Hole

Today's TLC Book Tour stop serves up a review of the very unique historical fiction novel Whistling Women by Kelly Romo. It's got the 1935 world's fair in San Diego, a nudist colony, dark secrets, and plenty of sister and family drama all wrapped together in one utterly enjoyable book. Accompanying my review is the "ultimate breakfast sandwich"--a Grilled Cheese Egg in a Hole, that was inspired by my reading.

Publisher's Blurb:

A buried secret keeps two sisters apart.

Life went terribly wrong for Addie Bates in San Diego, and she’s been running from those memories ever since. For fifteen years, the Sleepy Valley Nudist Colony has provided a safe haven for Addie to hide from the crime she committed. But when the residents pack up to go on exhibit at the 1935 world’s fair in San Diego, Addie returns and must face the thrilling yet terrifying prospect of reuniting with her estranged sister, Wavey.

Addie isn’t the only one interested in a reunion. When her niece, Rumor, discovers she has an aunt, Rumor is determined to bring her family together. But it’s not so easy when the women are forced to confront family secrets, past and present.

Set against the backdrop of the 1935 world’s fair, Whistling Women explores the complex relationships between sisters, the sacrifices required to protect family, and the lasting consequences of a single impulsive act.

Paperback: 414 pages

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing (November 17, 2015)

"A whistling woman  and a crowing hen always come to some bad end" 

--Proverb

My Review:  I was pulled to Whistling Women for several reasons--the bonds between sisters and nieces, the backdrop of the world's fair and exposition, a glimpse a life in a nudist colony in the 1930s--it all intrigued me and immediately captured my imagination and heart, holding on tight throughout each page. The story is told from the points of view of Addie, shifting back and forth from her present to her past, and her niece Rumor. These are the characters we get to know the best and are the most likable and enjoyable. Addie is easy to root for from the start--she had a tough childhood and young adulthood that continues to impact her, causing her to hide away in the controlled life of the nudist colony. Rumor is what you might expect from a fifteen-year-old, impulsive, rebellious, passionate, and stubborn--caught between childhood and adulthood. The main supporting characters are harder to get to know and to connect with through most of the book. Rumor's eighteen-year-old sister Mary comes across as shallow and puts on airs with her habit of calling everyone "darling"--although the love and bond the sisters have for each other is touching. The least likable of the four women is their mother, (Addie's sister) Wavey, with her drinking and other lifestyle choices and her often lackadaisical treatment of her daughters. As the story unfolds the reasons behind her actions and temperament are revealed, along with the secrets she has been hiding, and it is then that Wavey becomes more sympathetic. Addie's friends in the nudist colony are colorful and interesting and the world's fair and its Balboa Park setting, primarily the Eden-like Zoro Gardens Nudist Colony exhibit, almost seem characters as well.

The exact nature of the dark family secrets are revealed gradually, although they are hinted at enough that the reader can predict what is coming--this does not take away from the story however, and there are still details and surprises to learn. It's not always an easy or happy read as there is domestic and childhood sexual abuse and its lingering effects, as well as some violence that happens, but the story is a good one and although poignant, it doesn't dwell in the sadness, remains hopeful in tone, and has some very funny moments mixed in too. I find the whole nudist colony experience intriguing for some reason--especially back in the 1930s when it was even more of a social taboo. Getting a glimpse at that life and finding out how Addie ended up there for so long was interesting. (Although just in case you were wondering, I will not be packing my bags for life in a nudist colony.) ;-)

Really the only thing missing for me in this Whistling Women (and what I love, love, love in historical fiction that is based on real events) is an afterword about the book, including the research the author did and where the story idea came from and what interested her in the subject. That extra info always fascinates me and hooks me even more and I usually end up looking online for further details. It was a slight disappointment not to find anything in the book or much on the author's website other than a mention that the book came from her love of San Diego and Balboa Park. When I did look online, I found many key elements of the book such as the 1935 California International Exposition in San Diego, the Zoro Gardens Nudist Colony Exhibit there, and celebrity evangelist "Sister Aimee"--Aimee Semple McPherson were all real. It was fascinating to read more information and to look at some of the pictures that exist from that era as it was exactly as I was seeing it in my head from the author's words. It's such a special book (with a gorgeous cover too) that an afterword and perhaps a reader's guide with discussion questions would have made it even better and satisfied my geeky need for background details. 

Putting that minor disappointment aside, Whistling Women was a truly engaging and enjoyable read; one of my favorites for the year. If you like family and coming-of-age dramas with strong female characters, have sisters and nieces, and enjoy historical fiction (or even if you think you don't like historical fiction--this novel may change your mind), give this book a try. 

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Author Notes: Kelly A. Romo currently lives in Oregon with her three children where she teaches writing, literature, and social studies. She loves the outdoors; hiking, kayaking, and camping. Kelly grew up in California running around with all her thrill-seeking cousins and siblings; jumping off cliffs into the Colorado River, exploring caves on the beaches of Mexico, riding dirt bikes, water skiing, and snow skiing. 

Connect with Kelly on her website, Facebook, or Twitter. 

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Food Inspiration:

It's not a foodie book, but there was food inspiration to be found in Whistling Women. Much of it is the simple fare cooked by Wavey, Mary or Rumor--toast, fried eggs cooked in butter, soup and crackers, bean soup with vegetables and homemade noodles, shredded wheat cereal, a ham sandwich and a glass of milk, iced tea and lemonade. There is also lots of fair and boardwalk food like ice cream, candied apples, popcorn, scones, and cotton candy. The members of the Sleepy Valley Nudist Colony are expected to be vegetarian from their founder/leader Henrich's golden rule of no meat, so they eat a lot of fruit, oats, breads and jams, although Addie "longed for bacon, a chicken leg, or a single slice of ham." A celebration dinner for the colony at a restaurant included "everything on the menu that didn't include meat"--like "cantaloupe with fruit, sliced tomato salad fantasie, cauliflower persillé, potato garbure, sauteed mushrooms, cheese enchiladas, and native beans."

Life in the colony included meals so Addie did not have much experience cooking and when she began to practice it was on eggs, so I wanted to include them in my dish. Rumor shows her how to make a grilled cheese sandwich and since I am always craving them myself, I decided to make my book inspired dish from a combination of the eggs and grilled cheese. I pinned a recipe for what was called "the ultimate breakfast sandwich" recently and really wanted to make it. It takes one of my favorite childhood breakfasts "egg in a hole"--which we called ding-dong eggs at my house, and puts it into a grilled cheese sandwich. Yum! 

I feel a little bit bad because I made egg in a hole inspired by sisters for a book review last month and don't like to repeat myself, but this one is different enough I think and definitely crave-worthy enough to merit trying. ;-)  I made a slight change to the preparation of the recipe--which has you leave a cheese-free area in the center of the sandwich where you cut out the hole for the egg. I wondered why wouldn't you have the cheese in there so that instead of a fried bread "topper"--you get a little round grilled cheese sandwich to dip into the yolk? I left the cheese in. 
 

The recipe author says, "For this recipe, I use a pro-tip I learned from Five Guys: use mayonnaise instead of butter on the outside of the grilled cheese. It's way more spreadable and adds just a little oomph of flavor to the sandwich."

Grilled Cheese Egg in a Hole
Slightly adapted from The Cooking of Joy via Food 52
(Serves 1)

2 slices soft bread, like white or potato
1 to 2 teaspoons mayonnaise
1 to 2 slices sharp white cheddar cheese or your favorite melty cheese (I used Muenster and sharp cheddar but probably more than I should have!--see Notes/Results below)
1 large egg
freshly ground pepper
sea salt
Old Bay Seasoning (optional) 

Start heating a non-stick pan on medium-low. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on one slice of bread and place the bread mayonnaise-side down in the pan. 

Cut the cheese into thirds. Place one-third on each side of the bread in the pan. Cut the remaining third in half and fill in the top and bottom of the gap between the other slices of cheese, leaving a cheese-less square in the middle. [Editors' note: You want to cover the entire slice of bread except for the square in the center where you'll be cutting a hole through the sandwich.] {Deb's note: I covered my entire piece of bread with cheese to get a mini sandwich rather than just the grilled bread for dipping.}

Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the other slice of bread and place it on top of the cheese, mayonnaise-side up. Cook the sandwich for a few minutes until the bottom is golden brown. 

Flip the sandwich over. Using a cookie cutter or a drinking glass, cut out a hole in the middle of the sandwich about 2 1/2- to 2 3/4-inches wide. Remove the circle of bread (you can continue grilling this on the side of the pan) and crack the egg into the hole. Cover and cook until the egg is set to your liking. 

Slide the sandwich onto a plate. Season the egg with freshly ground pepper and sea salt. (I also shook on a little Old Bay Seasoning--which I love with eggs.) Serve with tomato soup, if you like.

Notes/Results: My execution of this dish suffered a bit because (Say it isn't so! Can it really be done?!) I "over-cheesed" my sandwich. I would normally question the concept that you can have too much cheese but in this case, where you should see an egg yolk peeking out from the white, it got covered by the cheese oozing out. You see I couldn't decide between Muenster and sharp cheddar so I used a layer of both and it was oozy, gooey, and delicious but it challenged me in both the appearance and in making a deeper well for the egg, resulting in difficulty cooking the egg white through to my liking while keeping it as yolky as I like. In the end it was still fabulous and I had enough yolk for dipping. I did love my mini round grilled cheese lid and recommend keeping that step. Also, I tried the tip of using mayo instead of butter on the outer bread but used the garlic vegan mayo I had on hand and it was fabulous--much easier to spread than butter and you get the same crisp outer crust. I will add that tip to my grilled cheese sandwich making from now on.

Is it easier to just slide a fried egg on top of a grilled cheese? Yes it is ...but, much like food in miniature sizes or food on sticks, an egg in a hole is just more fun. ;-) Good for breakfast, or any time at all, this sandwich would be excellent dipped in good, creamy tomato soup as the recipe author suggests. I will decrease the amount of cheese and happily make it again. 

Note: A review copy of "Whistling Women" was provided to me by the publisher and TLC Book Tours in return for a fair and honest review. I was not compensated for this review and as always my thoughts and opinions are my own.

You can see the stops for the rest of this Book Tour and what other reviewers thought about the book here.

 

Ellie Kreiger's Healthier Creamed Spinach (A Dairy-Free Version)

I adore creamed spinach. I love it as a side dish. I can eat it as an entree. Shortly after I stopped eating meat and poultry a few years back a friend of mine celebrated his birthday at a steak house. There was a fish entree and some seafood on the menu too, but I wasn't really in the mood for that and instead I ordered a side of creamed spinach and a side of mushrooms for my entree. At first, my friend kept apologizing for the restaurant pick but I think it became apparent that I was completely content with my dinner choices. ;-)

The only thing I don't love about creamed spinach is the amount of fat and calories it contains--making it most suitable as a occasional indulgence. This week's theme at I Heart Cooking Clubs is side dishes and I knew wanted to try Ellie Krieger's healthier Creamed Spinach from her So Easy cookbook since I've had it tagged to make for ages. To make it a true side dish, I served the spinach with some wild King salmon--simply seasoned with salt, pepper, and a little Old Bay Seasoning, seared or blackened on all sides over high heat (and a bit of coconut oil) and then cooked until just past translucent inside.  

I made some changes to the recipe based both on what I had on hand and to pump up the flavor a bit as I noticed it had mixed reviews on Food Network. I don't keep milk on hand since dairy makes me stuffy (I try to save my dairy-eating for good cheese indulgences), and so I used non-dairy unsweetened coconut milk instead of low-fat milk and unflavored coconut creamer in place of the evaporated milk. For flavor, I added 1/4 cup more of shallots--taking some extra time to caramelize them, and added four cloves of garlic. I am not a big nutmeg fan so I subbed in sweet paprika, added a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes and used a good amount of cracked black pepper. My changes are in red below, as are a few cooking tips that helped with flavor and texture.
 

Creamed Spinach
Adapted from So Easy by Ellie Krieger  or at FoodNetwork.com
(Makes 8 Servings)

2 10-oz packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 small shallots, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup) (I used about 3/4 cup)
(I added 4 cloves of garlic, minced)
4 tsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups low-fat (1%) milk (I used So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk)
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth (I used homemade no-salt veggie stock)
2 Tbsp evaporated milk (I used coconut milk creamer)
pinch of ground nutmeg (I used a large pinch of sweet paprika) 
(I added a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes)
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Squeeze all of the water from the spinach. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the flour to the pan and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the low-fat milk and broth and cook, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook 2 minutes.

Add the spinach and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the evaporated milk and nutmeg, and season with salt and pepper.

Deb's Cooking Tips for this recipe: I think the key to making this dish its best is to give it some extra time and love. Ellie notes to squeeze all the water from the spinach and it needs to be as dry as possible--whatever your method for draining spinach. (I use my TofuXpress, defrosting the spinach completely in a colander first, then putting it in the press using the heavier spring. I pour the pressed liquid out every 15 minutes or so for the first hour, then loosen the press, stir the spinach, and press again, leaving it overnight in the fridge. When I am ready to use it, I dump any remaining liquid and remove the spinach from the dress onto a clean kitchen towel. I take a few minutes to "fluff" out the spinach, separating it so that it is easier to stir into the cream.) I cooked the shallots longer than the 2 minutes in the recipe--about 8-10 minutes, until they begin to color and caramelize a bit, then add the garlic and continued to saute another 2-3 minutes. It takes a bit longer but is well worth it in terms of taste. Texture-wise, I made sure to cook the flour well and gradually stirred in the broth first, whisking until completely smooth before adding the (coconut) milk. I then simmered the cream sauce for 5 minutes, until it was nice and thick, before stirring in the spinach and cooking until tender. Taking this extra time and effort yielded ultra creamy spinach.

Notes/Results: Nothing completely takes the place of a butter, cream, and cheese-filled creamed spinach, but this was a great substitute. It's still rich, creamy and flavorful and so much healthier and less guilt-inducing. In case you were worried, it doesn't taste like coconut and using it in place of dairy milk adds a bit more fat, but less calories. I would be happy eating it as my entree but it was delicious with the salmon. I have plenty leftover and it may end up as breakfast tomorrow, warmed and with a fried egg on top. I would definitely make it again when I get a craving--with the changes I mentioned above. 
 
You can see what Ellie Krieger recipes everyone cooked for our Scentsational Sides theme at I Heart Cooking Clubs by checking out the picture links on the post.