Popeye Not The Only One Who Likes Spinach
One of the most delicate of the leafy green vegetables, spinach, shows up in most of the world’s cuisines.
It is believed to have originated in southwest Asia, and there’s a record of the king of Nepal making a gift of spinach plants to the Chinese emperor during the Han period, about 200 B.C. It was introduced into Europe by Islamic spice traders in the late Middle Ages and became so popular that when supplies ran out that people began eating other leafy greens, namely beet and turnip, as substitutions.
Today, it’s an almost universally cultivated crop - evidence of its popularity and a testament to its versatility.
Spinach pairs well with salty soy sauces and pungent ginger in Asian cuisine. When garlic is added, the astringent character of spinach becomes more assertive, the shy green leaf even holding its own on, say, a platter of Sicilian antipasti.
For salads, choose the youngest, most tender spinach you can find. When it comes to cooking spinach, I say cook it quickly, for its subtle flavor becomes a gaseous, swampy “mess-of-a-thang” when it cooks for too long. Perfectly sauteed spinach requires a large, heavy skillet. The heat should be intense, and the whole operation should take barely a minute. As soon as the spinach wilts, it’s cooked.
Even creamed spinach shouldn’t cook for a long time. Make a classic white sauce in a large skillet, add chopped fresh, uncooked spinach and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes.
Spinach has fallen victim to its own popularity. Annoying to clean, it’s sold in plastic bags, washed not only of sand but of any charm it may have had when harvested. (To clean spinach or other sandy vegetables, fill a sink with cold water, add the spinach and agitate the water. Remove the leaves, then drain the sink. Repeat two more times.)
One of the worst candidates for freezing, spinach is, nonetheless, among the most ubiquitous of frozen vegetables.
It has been said that it takes a great chef to do justice to such a delicate vegetable. I say not. Simplicity and common sense, two of the most important attributes of a good cook, are all that’s needed.
Cream of Spinach and Sorrel Soup
3 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, finely minced
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds spinach, stems removed, leaves chopped
1 cup creme fraiche or whipping cream
3 tablespoons bread crumbs
2 bunches sorrel, center stems removed, leaves chopped (see note)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Heat butter in soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
Stir in flour to form paste. Slowly add broth, stirring constantly until smooth. Add bay leaves, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and bring to boil. Remove cover. Decrease heat and simmer 10 minutes.
Add spinach, creme fraiche and bread crumbs and cook 10 minutes. Add sorrel and cheese and cook 2 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings.
Note: Sorrel is available in some larger supermarkets and specialty markets.
Spinach and Tomato Salad with Bacon and Warm Blue Cheese Dressing
4 large beefsteak tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium onions, finely diced (about 1-1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
6 cups cleaned baby spinach leaves
4 poached eggs
12 thick bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces
8 thin rounds French bread
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
8 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
Freshly ground black pepper, salt
Remove stem from tomatoes and cut “X” through skin of tip. Plunge tomatoes into boiling water. When water returns to boil, remove tomatoes. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard skins, which should peel off easily.
Cut tomatoes in half crosswise and squeeze out and discard seeds. Quarter each tomato half and set aside in small work bowl.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in small saucepan. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Arrange spinach on plates and arrange tomato mixture on top. Garnish each salad with 1 poached egg.
Heat remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in skillet. Add bacon and cook, stirring, about 4 minutes. Add bread and cook 1 minute or until golden. Stir bacon and cook 1 minute longer. Arrange 2 slices bread on each salad.
Pour vinegar into pan. Add cheese and cook 30 seconds. Season with 1 grind of pepper mill. Taste and add salt if desired. Spoon dressing, cheese and bacon over 4 prepared plates and serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings.
Asian Spinach and Chicken Salad
6 cups baby spinach leaves, stems trimmed, washed and spun in salad spinner
1/2 cup flavorless oil
1-1/4 pounds chicken tenderloins or boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch slices
3 tablespoons peanuts
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons finely chopped ginger root
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
Place spinach in large salad bowl and set aside.
Heat oil over medium-high heat in wok or large heavy skillet. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost done, about 3 minutes.
Add peanuts, garlic and ginger root and cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in soy sauce and vinegar. Pour over spinach leaves and serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings.
Sauteed Garlic Spinach
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
2 anchovy fillets, chopped (optional)
2 pounds spinach, washed, stems removed
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Salt
Heat oil in large, heavy skillet or wok over high heat. Add garlic and anchovies (if using) and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add spinach all at once and black pepper and salt. Using 2 large forks, immediately begin turning spinach over as if you were tossing a salad. As soon as most of spinach is wilted, remove from heat.
To serve hot, transfer spinach to serving bowl and serve immediately. To serve at room temperature, transfer spinach to colander with plate underneath to catch juices. Let cool before serving.
Yield: 4 servings.