Recipe: Creamed Spinach Hush Puppies
A steakhouse side meets a fried Southern classic
It wouldn't be a true steakhouse experience without a side of creamed spinach . . . right? Maybe there's some room for improvement: Modern steakhouse Quality Eats in NYC is serving a twist on the traditional side, turning it into golden hush puppies. The crisp fried balls of spinach and cheese are served alongside a creamy roast beef dipping sauce (meet demi-glace, your new favorite ingredient).
Having the oil at the right temperature is the most important part to hush puppy success-and making sure you let the insides of the balls cook without getting them too dark on the outside. Then just let them cool for a minute after frying. There's a ton of steam in there waiting to escape, so don't burn yourself.
To learn more, read "High Steaks."
Recipe adapted from Ryan Bartlow, Quality Eats, New York, NY
- :::For the Hush Puppies:⅓ cup, plus 1 tablespoon, all-purpose flour:::
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5 cups (5 ounces) spinach
- ¾ cup room-temperature cream cheese
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 egg
- Canola oil, for frying
- :::For the Roast Beef Aioli:¾ cup mayonnaise:::
- ¼ cup veal demi-glace, divided
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Prepare the hush puppies: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, nutmeg and salt.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice bath. Blanch the spinach for 30 seconds, then transfer to the ice water. Using a towel, wring out the excess moisture from the spinach, then finely chop. Transfer to a large bowl with the cream cheese, Parmesan, lemon zest and egg, then mix until incorporated.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the spinach mixture until a smooth batter comes together. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes before frying. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 inches of canola oil to 325º. Line a plate with paper towels and set aside.
- Meanwhile, make the roast beef aioli: In a medium bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of the demi-glace, the sherry vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. Transfer to a bowl and drizzle the remaining demi-glace over top.
- When the oil is up to temperature, drop 2 tablespoon-sized scoops of batter into the oil in batches. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the prepared plate to drain. Transfer to a platter and serve with the roast beef aioli on the side.
Calories per Serving | 443 |
Total Fat | 41.8 g |
Saturated Fat | 13.5 g |
Trans Fat | 0.1 g |
Cholesterol | 100.5 mg |
Total Carbohydrates | 6.3 g |
Dietary Fiber | 1.0 g |
Total Sugars | 2.9 g |
Sodium | 723.5 mg |
Protein | 12.2 g |