Berghoff Restaurant Creamed Spinach
This recipe, once a closely held secret, calls for granulated garlic, which is “not the same as dried minced, dried
chopped or garlic powder,” the book’s authors note. Don’t add the spinach until the cream sauce has really
thickened, or the green’s acidity will break down the roux.
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons chicken base or 1 cube chicken bouillon
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup flour
3 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 teaspoon salt
Ground white pepper, if desired
Ground nutmeg for garnish
Crisp, cooked, crumbled bacon for garnish
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In a medium-size saucepan, heat the half-and-half, milk, chicken base, Tabasco and seasonings to a simmer.
Remove from the heat and keep warm. -
In another medium-size saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk well to combine.
Cook this mixture for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring often. Slowly whisk the heated milk mixture into the butter mixture, a
little at a time, whisking constantly until smooth. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring
constantly, until it thickens. The sauce will be very thick. -
Stir in the spinach and simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings. Serve while hot.
To serve: Place the hot creamed spinach in a bowl, sprinkled with an extra touch of ground nutmeg. Top each
serving with 1 tablespoon of crisp, cooked crumbled bacon, if desired.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 16 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Source: “The Berghoff Family Cookbook”. Berghoff Restaurant, Chicago. Closed in 2006.