Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1½ tablespoons flour
- 1 quart milk
- 2 cups grated fontina cheese
- 2 cups grated provolone cheese
- 3 tablespoons cream cheese
- 1 quart white onions, thickly sliced
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup brown chicken stock
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- Salt, to taste
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1¼ cup olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- 8 quarts escarole, washed and cut into large pieces
- 4 cups cheese sauce (recipe above)
- 2 cups caramelized onions (recipe above)
- 2 cups grated fontina cheese
- 1 cup cooked large diced thick-cut bacon
Chef notes
I love this recipe because it takes the basics of creamed spinach and upgrades it in pretty much every way. Escarole takes the place of the traditional leafy greens and gets a creamy, cheesy boost from fontina and provolone. It also incorporates sweet caramelized onions for extra flavor.
Preparation
For the cheese sauce:
Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, add the flour and start to combine, lower the heat and continue to cook. Whisk in the milk and bring the milk to a boil, whisking the entire time. Add the cheese and whisk vigorously until fully incorporated.
For the caramelized onions:
Combine all ingredients together and simmer until onions are very soft and liquid has thickened and has glazed the onions, about 45 minutes.
For the escarole:
1.Preheat oven to 400°F.
2.Place the garlic and olive oil in a pan and cook until tender (do not brown).
3.Add the clean escarole and cook until wilted and tender. Season with salt and transfer to a pan lined with paper towel to drain as it cools.
4.Combine the cooked escarole, cheese sauce and caramelized onions in a mixing bowl. Transfer to a large casserole dish and top with the grated fontina.
5.Wrap in foil and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese sauce begins to bubble.
6.Remove foil and place under a broiler until the cheese has begun to take color. Finish by topping with bacon and serve.
