Spinach Madeleine

If there is a Holiday Meal Hall of Fame, they would use a sculpture of Spinach Madeleine for the trophy. This cheesy and somewhat spicy spinach dish is the best-known side dish and a favorite of thousands in South Louisiana. It's a rich, creamy cheese sauce spiced with a touch of jalapeno and cayenne, then mixed into cooked spinach and baked to a golden brown. It has no peers. It’s right up there with the traditional oyster dressings, dirty rice, and candied yams to headline the holiday meal. Sweet Daddy D has been making this for decades along with just about everyone else in South Louisiana. This will change the landscape of your holiday table.

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Jump to:

• Where Did this Recipe Originate?
• Here’s What You Need
• Here’s What You Do
• Hints and Tips (FAQ)
• Recipe
• Comments or Questions?

Where Did this Recipe Originate?

This recipe appeared in the first volume of River Road Recipes-The Textbook of Louisiana Cuisine published in 1959. Since that time, River Road Recipes has become a culinary bible for not only South Louisiana home cooks but home cooks all over the world. It has been reprinted 80 times and has sold in excess of 1.4 million copies. This iconic cookbook is published by the Junior League of Baton Rouge and features tested recipes from South Louisiana home cooks, not celebrity chefs. Subsequently, three more volumes have been published adding more than 1200 recipes to the original volume’s 650 recipes. Together, the four volumes of River Road Recipes have become the #1 community cookbook series in the nation. It’s a must-have in your cookbook collection if you are interested in Cajun and Creole Cuisine. 

The recipe for Spinach Madeleine was created by Mrs. William G. Reymond (Madeline) in 1956, somewhat as a fluke. Needing to serve food for the bridge club gathering she was hosting, she decided on her mother-in-law’s creamed spinach recipe. She added the jalapeno cheese and other ingredients that she happened to have on hand to save a trip to the grocery. Needless to say, the bridge club loved it, as did other groups to which she served it. As a member of the Junior League, she submitted the recipe for consideration in their first cookbook fundraiser. The popularity of the recipe paralleled the extreme popularity of the cookbook which has been sharing Spinach Madeleine with the world for over 60 years. Mrs. Reymond’s recipe has been reprinted in countless newspapers, magazines, and websites entrenching it deeply in the Holiday traditions of South Louisiana. No doubt its popularity will continue for many years beyond Madeline’s recent passing in 2020 at the age of 91. I wouldn’t want a Thanksgiving dinner without it.

Here’s What You Need

Equipment

To prepare this recipe I used: Dutch oven, Baking Dish, Cutting Board, Chef's Knife, Cambro Prep Bowls, Glass Prep Bowls, Measuring Cup, Measuring Spoons and Kitchen Strainer.

Here’s What You Do

First...you have a beer. To get started, pop the cap off a beer and read the recipe all the way through. No matter how many times I’ve made this recipe, I always read the recipe thoroughly. Before I do my Mise en place, I make sure you know what you need and what you’re going to do with each ingredient. 

Mise en place

• Spinach:
  • Prepare the spinach according to the directions on the package. Strain the cooked spinach and reserve the liquid. Set aside.
• Dry Ingredients:
  • Measure the dry ingredients: place the flour in a prep bowl, then put the celery salt, granulated garlic, black pepper, and cayenne (if using) in one prep bowl together.
• Liquid Ingredients:
  • Combine the evaporated milk, the spinach liquid, and Worcestershire sauce into a measuring cup and set that aside.
• Other Ingredients:
  • Measure the butter, finely chop the onions, and cut the jalapeno cheese into small cubes; set everything aside. Have some seasoned breadcrumbs and extra butter handy.
• Equipment:
  • Prepare a 3-quart baking dish by spreading softened butter all over the inside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• You are ready to go, how’s your beer?

Make the cheese sauce

Place a Dutch oven over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk or stir constantly until a smooth white roux develops, which should only take about 2 or 3 minutes. 

Add the onions and stir constantly until they are turning soft. Make sure not to brown the onions, so no more than 2 or 3 minutes.

Next, slowly pour the liquid ingredients (evaporated milk, spinach liquid, and Worcestershire sauce) into the onion-roux mix. You may need to increase the heat a little until it starts to simmer, then return the heat to medium. Whisk constantly until it’s a smooth, thick sauce with no lumps, about 3 minutes.

Add the dry ingredients (black pepper, celery salt, granulated garlic, and cayenne, if using) and stir well to combine.

Maintaining a medium heat, toss in the cubes of cheese a few at a time, stirring constantly to blend the melting cheese into the sauce. This should take about 5 minutes.

Add the spinach

Once the cheese has melted and you have a smooth sauce, add the spinach to the cheese sauce and stir to thoroughly combine. 

Bake the Madeleine

Turn the spinach mixture into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top with a spoon. Lightly sprinkle the top with seasoned breadcrumbs and place small pieces of butter on the top.

Place in the 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes until bubbling on the side. 

Hints and Tips (FAQ)

Here's some more Thanksgiving recipes from Sweet Daddy D:

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