Category: Spinach
Very Green Risotto
I love the ratio of greens to rice in this dish. It is light, fresh and lovely and you can substitute with other greens (fava tops, chard, lots of parsley and/or cilantro). It really doesn’t take too much time and is so worth the bit of effort of stirring and adding broth occasionally for 20 minutes.
If you’re using pea shoots, taste the stems and tendrils raw. They should be tender and delicious raw as well. If you find tough fibrous parts, trim those off. And chop the spinach and pea shoots quite finely, into 1-2-inch pieces. The greens blend with the rice more easily when the pieces aren’t too big.
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Indian-spiced Sautéed Vegetables
One beautiful spring evening when I couldn't bear the thought of coming in to cook dinner I threw together this little sauté and it was a keeper. The spices make it a bit more interesting and the cool yogurt a nice counter point. You can use most any vegetable and can certainly make it spicy or play with other seasonings, like adding ginger or coriander as well. I used chard, potatoes and onions in this version.
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Braised Spinach with Nested Eggs
If you have a chance to wash and cook the spinach ahead of time, then this dinner or lunch comes together very quickly. Spinach cooks down a lot and you'll want a good amount, 1 3/4 lb if possible but you can also add other leafy greens if you don't have enough spinach. Turnip or beet greens, mustard greens and chard would all be good substations for some, or even all, of the spinach.
[caption id="attachment_5253" align="alignleft" width="640"] We often eat eggs for dinner so this kind of meal is not relegated to weekend brunch in our household.[/caption]... Read more »
French Green Lentils with Spinach and Goat Cheese
I came up with this a few years ago when my CSA had abundant spinach, week after week in late spring. It’s simple and could be adapted in a variety of ways—could be made into more of a soup (omit the goat cheese) and served hot, served with some Parmesan shavings, etc. The combination of tiny tubular pasta and lentils is a classic Roman one.... Read more »
Spinach and Garlic Scape Risotto
Spinach cooks down a lot so use as much as you have/can spare. I like to use a big bunch in this dish. Use as many garlic scapes as you want here—it can handle a lot. You can add more broth than I suggest and create more of a soup than a risotto which you can serve with a nice crusty piece of bread if you’d like. You can also use water instead of vegetable stock in this dish. The garlic and spinach are delicate but flavorful and don't need a rich stock. ... Read more »
Spiced Coconut Spinach
--inspired by 101cookbooks.com
This is delicious and quick and makes a great side. It’s perfect with a poached or fried egg or a piece of fish for a light supper.... Read more »
Soft Boiled Egg with Spinach on Toast & Other Variations
When it gets hot in Western Oregon (which varies summer to summer) I have a phase where I cook as little as possible and do as much assembly and quick prep dishes as I can. This falls in that category. Adjust the quantity to suit your needs.... Read more »
Smoky Spinach and Chickpeas
--inspired by Moro: The Cook Book via Smittenkitchen.com
Substitute other greens or mix and match and play with the spices to suit your taste. The toasted ground up bread is the real key here for a bit of body and extra flavor.... Read more »
Saag Paneer
This classic Indian dish of tender spinach and almost squeaky fresh paneer (cheese) is a favorite. The paneer is very simple to make (recipe below) but you can also buy it or substitute firm tofu for an inauthentic but perfectly fine variation. And if you have a lot of spinach make a double batch and freeze half of the finished dish. It reheats beautifully.
You can also make this with a combination of spinach and chard and kale or most any other leafy green.... Read more »
Indian-inspired Spinach and Potatoes with Green Garlic
--inspired by Tender by Nigel Slater
The turmeric gives the finished dish a golden hue and the mustard seeds and ginger add texture and flavor, as does the sweet, mild green garlic, used generously here.... Read more »
Jamaican Rice and Beans and Greens
Versions of this dish are made all over the Caribbean though not necessarily with this many vegetables. It’s a satisfying one-dish meal and very easy to prepare and a great way to integrate fresh produce into the main dish itself. It’s a pantry dish in that basically all you need is rice, beans, onion, garlic and coconut milk. And if you have tomatoes and celery or greens of some kind, great!
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About: Spinach
One of the conveniences I miss from my time spent in Italy is balls of cooked spinach sold at markets and delis. Italians use a lot of spinach--to make feather light ricotta gnocchi, risotto, lasagnes, savory custards, etc.
One pound of raw spinach typically cooks down into one generous cup of cooked spinach. Washing and cooking spinach is not particularly odious but it is surprising how much it cooks down. But then when you have it, the joy of tender spinach with a little garlic or butter makes it all worth while. Spinach is fantastic in risotto, added to scrambled eggs, or in a soup. Other classic spinach dishes include Indian sag paneer and Greek spanakopita.
It's rich in antioxidants and in many vitamins and minerals. Spinach keeps for a few days in the refrigerator in plastic but don't forget about it. It looses its magic after 4-5 days.
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