Equipment
Ingredients
Fish
- 600 g firm white fish fillets, thawed if frozen, patted very dry
Florentine Base and Sauce
- 300 g baby spinach, washed and dried
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 3 garlic, minced
- 200 ml heavy cream, room temperature preferred
- 50 g cream cheese, softened
- 50 g parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- salt
- black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 540 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbohydrates
- 7 g
- Fat
- 41 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 628 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 21 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 11 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 184 mg
- Potassium
- 991 mg
- Calcium
- 314 mg
- Iron
- 2.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 121 mg
- Phosphorus
- 577 mg
- Zinc
- 2.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 727 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 24 mg
- Vitamin D
- 18.9 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 366 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.8 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.29 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.50 mg
- Niacin
- 5.1 mg
- Folate
- 173 mcg
- Water
- 223 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 200C/400F. Lightly grease a 22x33 cm baking dish.
Melt the unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute.
Add the baby spinach to the skillet in batches, tossing continuously until just wilted. Remove from heat, drain any excess liquid to prevent a watery sauce, and spread the spinach evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Return the skillet to medium-low heat. Pour in the heavy cream and whisk in the cream cheese until completely smooth. Stir in the freshly grated parmesan and lemon juice. Simmer gently until the sauce thickens slightly.
Thoroughly pat the white fish fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Arrange the seasoned fish fillets in a single layer over the bed of wilted spinach. Pour the warm cream sauce evenly over the fish and spinach.
Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 63C/145F and is completely opaque.
Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to set slightly. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Moisture control is the secret to this dish. Always pat your fish aggressively dry. Excess surface moisture will water down the luxurious cream sauce during the baking process.
- Squeeze the excess liquid out of the wilted spinach before laying it in the baking dish. Spinach contains a massive amount of water that releases when cooked.
- Selecting the right fish matters. Use a firm, meaty white fish like cod or halibut. Delicate fish like sole or flounder will cook too quickly and may fall apart in the rich sauce.
- For a golden-brown finish, switch the oven to broil for the final 2 minutes of cooking. Watch closely to ensure the cream sauce does not burn.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The sauce will thicken significantly when cold.
Reheating: Gently reheat in the oven at 150C/300F until warmed through, or microwave on 50 percent power to prevent the fish from overcooking and drying out.
Troubleshooting
The cream sauce split or looks curdled
Cause: The lemon juice was added while the cream was boiling, or the heat was too high, causing the dairy proteins to coagulate
Fix: Remove from heat immediately and whisk vigorously with a tiny splash of hot water to attempt re-emulsification. If fully split, it cannot be completely fixed but remains safe to eat.
Prevention: Lower the heat to a gentle simmer before adding lemon juice and cheese, and never allow heavy cream to boil vigorously
The sauce is too watery after baking
Cause: The spinach was not drained properly, or the fish fillets retained too much moisture
Fix: Carefully pour excess liquid into a saucepan and reduce on the stovetop over medium heat until thickened, then pour back over the dish
Prevention: Thoroughly pat the fish dry before assembling and squeeze excess liquid from the wilted spinach
Cultural Context
The term Florentine in culinary arts generally refers to recipes featuring spinach, often paired with a rich mornay or cream sauce. This concept originated from Catherine de Medici, born in Florence, who reportedly introduced spinach to the French court. This recipe adapts classic French-Italian profiles into a convenient, modern baked dish that emphasizes ease without sacrificing the luxurious texture of a traditional cream sauce.
