Spinach Recipes
information
When cooked, spinach reduces considerably because of its very high water content, so allow 250-300g per person. Choose spinach that is a good green colour and appears fresh without any withered yellow leaves.
how to store spinach
Once picked, spinach does not keep well and should preferably be eaten on the day of purchase, but it can be kept for 1-2 days in a cool vegetable rack or larder or in the bottom of a refrigerator.
how to prepare spinach
Remove any thick stalks from the spinach. (These can be kept and cooked as a separate vegetable. Wash them and tie together in a bundle; then boil or steam as for seakale until they are tender. Drain and serve with melted butter.) Spinach must be washed thoroughly because it can be gritty; wash in at least 3 changes of cold water.
how to boil spinach
method #1
For 1kg spinach, melt 25 g butter or margarine in a pan, then add the wet spinach leaves to the pan. Season with salt and stir for a few minutes, until all the leaves are limp. Cover and cook slowly for about 10 minutes or until the spinach is tender. Drain the spinach thoroughly, pressing out the water. Heat 2 tbsp cream in the pan, replace the spinach, and cook for a minute. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. A small, crushed clove of garlic added to spinach helps to remove some of the iron tang, and the cream can be omitted, if preferred.method #2
Cook the spinach in 1 cm depth of boiling salted water, adding the leaves a few at a time so that the water does not leave the boil. Cover, and cook for a further 10 minutes or until tender. Drain thoroughly, pressing all the water out and serve as for boiled spinach.how to puree spinach
Cook the spinach as above. Drain thoroughly and either chop finely, sieve or process in an electric blender. For every 1.5 kg spinach, melt 25 g butter or margarine in a pan with 3 tbsp cream. Stir in the chopped or sieved spinach and heat gently. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Alternatively, thicken 125 ml of the spinach liquor with 2 tsp cornflour, and add the sieved or chopped spinach to this panada; or add 125 ml thick foundation white or Bechamel sauce to the chopped or sieved spinach. The spinach puree can be served garnished with fleurons of puff pastry, sieved hard-boiled egg yolk or crescents of fried bread.
