Well, I have been trying to branch out and try more veggies that I normally eat (green beans, regular old lettuce and tomato salads and the like) and bought a big bag of fresh spinach at the farmer's market today. I tried it raw in a salad and did not like it! So, I am hoping I will like it better cooked! I do like dishes w/ spinach in them, I just don't normally prepare it at home. So, I am looking for tips on how to prepare it or recipies that will help use up this spinach!
One of the way I like to cook spinach, as well as escarole, cabbage, swiss chard, etc., is to saute a sliced onion and a few cloves of garlic in a pan sprayed with Pam - add the greens and about l/4 cup of water - add salt and pepper to taste. Just let the greens wilt. Very tasty.
Aggie: In order to really enjoy spinach, you have to clean it very very thoroughly because it is very sandy and believe it or not, the best way to do this is NOT by rinsing it like you do w/ lettuce. Take the spinach and put it in a bowl with a capacity greater than the amount of spinach you have. Put the spin. in and fill w/ cold water. Let it sit for a minute or two and then stir it around w/ your hand and let it sit again. THEN, gently remove the spinach to a colandar and let it drain. Pour off the dirty water from the bowl and rinse the bowl. Repeat the soaking process at LEAST one more time, and perhaps two, always transferring the spinach to the colandar by hand and not by pouring the leaves and the dirty water through the strainer. Additionally, since spinach has such a high water content, you really never have to add water to the pan. Don't forget to break off the tough stems and throw them out.
Here's another good recipe. 1-2 cloves garlic; 1 bag spinach, 1/2 lemon, salt pepper.
Saute the garlic in a pan sprayed w/ cooking oil (till it becomes translucent, NOT brown. Add the spinach w/ only the water that clings to it from the cleaning process. Cover. Cook till it wilts. Sprinkle w/ salt and pepper; stir the garlic up from the bottom, and squeeze on the lemon. Read to serve. Enjoy.
One other way to clean spinach, and I find it's easier, is to us a salad spinner. It's a similar method, but the dirty water stays in the outside bowl. You remove the colander, pour out the dirty water, rinse the bowl. Then repeat the process as many times as it takes to get the spinach clean.
However, I admit that I really hate cleaning spinach, so I buy the packaged, precleaned stuff. It's more expensive but better that than tossing old spinach because I didn't want to clean it! lol
One of my favorite things to do with spinach is to make an Italian Egg soup. I heat broth and cook orzo in it until the orzo is almost cooked. Add the spinach and cook about a minute or two, just until the spinach turns bright green and wilts. Add lightly beaten eggs (the amount varies depending on how much soup you're making. I use 2 eggs for 6 cups of stock. As you add the egg,. stir the soup in one direction to make threads of cooked egg. I season this with a bit of nutmeg, salt, white pepper, and sometimes a little basil. I like to use fresh basil, if I have it on hand. If I'm not in a hurry, I'll saute some onion and garlic in a bit of olive oil before I add the stock.
There are tons of variations on this soup. I also have an oriental version that uses a touch of sesame oil for flavor that's really yummy.
I think one the main things about spinach (or any green) is not to overcook it - I remember my mom would buy the canned stuff and then cook it! Yuck! It took until I moved out of the house and started experimenting with Chinese cooking for me to learn to love all sorts of greens. A quick stir fry is all that's really needed. I love spinach quiche - in fact that's what I made for breakfasts this week. I just mixed eggbeaters, feta cheese, cottage cheese, barely cooked spinach, and some veggie bacon together and baked it in a pam sprayed pie pan for about an hour. It's delicious hot or cold, especially with salsa!
Howdy all,
We buy spinach every week. At first we mixed it with lettuce and now use it exclusively for salads and sandwiches. It takes a bit of adjustment, is all.
A great way to cook with it is to make that super easy WW lasagna on the recipe cards. Just slap some leaves in with the cottage cheese and noodles. My 9yoa DD LOVES this and requests it often. (be sure to drain the cottage cheese)
I really like to use strong flavored greens w/proscuitto, pancetta and smithfield ham. I think spinach with lots of garlic and lemon is also my fave. I can eat pounds of that stuff. I remember my mom sauteeing fresh spinach with garlic and carmelized onions and then stirring in yoghurt or sour cream with it while hot. Very delish.
I'm so jealous- our first farmer's market is not until memorial day. I'll be there at the sound of the first bell.
Also, we make a sorrel soup with fresh pureed spinach added at the last minute. Its amazing, lemony and light, but with the vivid green of the spinach.
It's good in an omelet. Just wash, break of the hard part of the stem, and stir some in your omelets or scrambled eggs (or egg beaters). Add some low fat cheese if you want. It's delicious.
I just tried a new recipe from the "Two's Company" cookbook. It's called "Zesty Cheesy Ravioli" and uses two cups of chopped spinach. Really good!! I confess I buy the prepackaged spinach too, because I really hate to wash it. I still rinse it and use the salad spinner. I also add it to soups.
A quick and easy way DH and I like is to bring a pot of water to boiling, stir in the spinach, cook about 2-3 mins until it wilts and turns bright green. Pour out into a collander and press some of the water out. Put back into the pan (or a bowl) toss with kosher salt and balsamic vinegar. Delicious and no points!
