2 quarts (about 8 oz / 225 g packed) fresh spinach
0.5 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
3 cups (720 ml) boiling water
1 Salt, to taste
2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
1 White pepper or black pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Bring 3 cups (720 ml) of water to a boil in a large heavy saucepan. Add the spinach and cook for 30 minutes, until the leaves are fully wilted and very tender and have lost their bright green color.
2. Drain the spinach thoroughly, pressing out excess liquid. Chop the cooked spinach finely, then press it through a fine-mesh sieve or food mill to produce a smooth puree. This step is a technique called straining or forcing through a sieve, which removes fibrous material and produces a silky texture.
3. Return the spinach puree to the saucepan. Add the 4 cups (960 ml) of White Stock II or III and heat over medium heat, stirring, until the mixture reaches a full boil — you will see large bubbles breaking the surface and steam rising steadily.
4. Prepare a roux-based binding (technique: binding with a beurre manie or roux — fat cooked with flour to thicken a liquid and prevent lumps): in a separate small saucepan over medium heat, melt the 1/2 cup (113 g) butter until it foams and the foam begins to subside, about 2 minutes. Add the 1/2 cup (60 g) flour all at once and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture smells faintly nutty and pulls away from the sides of the pan. This is a white roux.
5. Ladle about 1 cup of the hot spinach-stock mixture into the roux and whisk vigorously to combine (technique: tempering — gradually combining hot liquid with the roux to prevent lumps). Pour the tempered roux back into the main saucepan while whisking constantly.
6. Return the soup to medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, for 8-12 minutes, until the soup is noticeably thickened and no raw-flour taste remains. The soup should coat the back of a spoon and a line drawn through it holds for 2-3 seconds.
7. Add the 2 cups (480 ml) of whole milk and stir to combine. Heat gently over medium-low heat for 4-6 minutes, until the soup returns to a steaming, near-simmer — small bubbles at the edges, no rolling boil. Do not boil after adding the milk, as it may curdle.
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately in warmed bowls.
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