Spinach And Mushroom Étoufée Recipe

Prep

Finely dice the yellow onion and shallot. Mince the garlic. Thinly slice the white parts of the scallions and reserve the green tops for garnish.

In a large sauté pan or shallow Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat until foaming. Add the diced onion, shallot and white scallion pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and just beginning to color, about 5–6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant; do not let it brown.

Increase heat to medium-high, add 1 teaspoon olive oil and the sliced mushrooms. Spread mushrooms in an even layer and let them sear without stirring for 2 minutes to brown. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release their liquid and it evaporates and they are nicely caramelized, about 6–8 minutes total.

Season mushrooms lightly with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper as they cook. Once browned, add the baby spinach in handfuls, stirring to wilt between additions. Cook until all spinach is wilted and any excess liquid has mostly evaporated, about 2–3 minutes. Transfer mixture to a bowl and set aside while you make the roux-based sauce.

In the same pan over medium heat, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle the 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour evenly into the butter and whisk constantly to form a blond roux. Cook the roux for 1–2 minutes, whisking, until it smells slightly nutty and loses its raw flour taste but does not brown darkly.

Whisk in 1 cup vegetable broth gradually, scraping up any brown bits from the pan to incorporate flavor. Add the remaining 1 cup soy milk (or additional broth) and continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and beginning to thicken, about 2–3 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the heavy cream. Add the green curry paste, smoked paprika, ground coriander, ground cumin and Dijon mustard. Whisk until the curry paste is fully incorporated and the sauce simmers gently. Taste and adjust heat — if needed, thin the sauce with up to 1/4 cup more broth.

Return the mushroom and spinach mixture to the pan with the sauce, stirring to combine so vegetables are fully coated. Simmer gently for 3–4 minutes to let flavors meld and sauce thicken to a coating consistency.

Season the étouffée with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (adjust to taste), the remaining white pepper if desired, and the 1 tablespoon lemon juice to brighten the flavors. If using, stir in the grated Parmesan now for extra richness.

Off the heat, stir in the chopped parsley and sliced chives or reserved scallion greens. Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil over the top for sheen and richness.

Serve the spinach and mushroom étouffée immediately over steamed rice, stone-ground grits, crusty bread or pasta. Garnish with additional parsley or grated Parmesan as desired.

Leftovers: cool to room temperature, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat with a splash of broth or milk to loosen the sauce.