creamed spinach toasts with fried eggs + fennel
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
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Makes: about 6 servings
Ingredients
  • For the Creamed Spinach + Fennel
  • 2 T butter
  • 2 T olive oil
  • ½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 bulb fennel, trimmed, quartered, cored and thinly sliced
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • pinch red pepper flakes
  • black pepper
  • 2 T tapioca flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp dried mustard
  • dash freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 bag (16oz) frozen spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained (see note)
  • ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
  • For Serving
  • 6 thick slices bread
  • 6 eggs
  • olive oil
  • sea salt + freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
  1. In a large skillet or cast iron pan, melt butter and oil over med-high flame. Add garlic and onion and sauté until translucent, a couple of mins.
  2. Add fennel, salt, red pepper flakes, and a few good grinds of black pepper and sauté until fennel begins to brown in places, stirring occasionally, 5-7 mins.
  3. Sprinkle tapioca starch over fennel and stir to coat veggies evenly. Gradually add milk, stirring thoroughly to avoid lumps. Add paprika, dried mustard, and nutmeg and allow mixture to come to a simmer and thicken slightly (it should be able to coat the back of a spoon).
  4. Stir in spinach and parmesan. Taste for salt and pepper. Keep mixture warm while you prepare toast and eggs. (If mixture becomes too thick, thin with a little more milk to desired consistency.)
  5. Drizzle sliced bread generously with olive oil and bake or broil until golden brown. Fry eggs to desired doneness, working in batches if needed. (I like mine sunny-side up fried in a little olive oil to create a crisp, lacy edge.)
  6. Serve each toast topped generously with the warm creamed spinach, an egg and a little more salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
Modifications: the creamed spinach portion of this recipe is gluten-free. To make the entire dish gluten-free, just use your favorite gluten-free bread for the toast portion.

Regarding draining/wringing frozen spinach: If you've got one, I've found the simplest way to remove a majority of the liquid from thawed frozen spinach is with a potato ricer (I have this one). It takes about three presses (and maybe 2 mins?) to wring the liquid from one thawed 16 oz bag -- easy!
Recipe by the pig & quill at https://thepigandquill.com/creamed-spinach-toasts-with-fried-eggs-fennel/