Dear Eric: I have an amazing crop of spinach this spring and I would love to try some new recipes. Could you please address this in an upcoming article? Marty
Dear Marty: This spring’s splendid mix of sunshine, rain and moderate temperatures has certainly been making plants happy, as your patch of spinach indicates. When we are blessed with a lot of it, the good news is that there are hectares of ways to prepare it.
To showcase that, below I’ve listed 10 tasty — no recipe required — ways you can use it. Below them are two recipes, one for a splendid prawn dish for two, the other for a hearty soup that’s easy to make.
If, unlike Marty, you have to buy fresh spinach, choose vibrant, just-picked-looking bunches with deep green leaves free of yellowing. Store it, unwashed (too much moisture can cause it to spoil) in a plastic bag in your refrigerator crisper for three to four days.
When ready to use, after removing the leaves from the stems, wash them well, as their crevices can trap dirt.
To clean spinach, place the leaves in a sink or very large bowl filled with cold water and gently swirl to release the dirt. Let the leaves rise to the surface, then remove; the dirt will sink to the bottom. You could, of course, also wash the leaves in batches in a salad spinner. Once it’s washed, if using in a salad or dish where you don’t want water to dilute its taste, dry the spinach well on a towel.
You’ll find local spinach for sale at some supermarkets, farmers’ markets and farm stands. To locate farm stands and markets, go to the Southern Vancouver Island Direct Farm Marketing Association website, islandfarmfresh.com.
10 Tasty Ways to Use Spinach
1 When needing a green for a sandwich or wrap, instead of lettuce, use fresh spinach.
2 Add sliced, raw spinach leaves to pasta, bean, grain and any other type of salad needing added colour and flavour.
3 When making caesar salad, replace some or all of the chopped romaine with fresh spinach.
4 When making soup, or heating up canned soup, such as vegetable, bean, tomato or even hot and sour, swirl some thickly sliced, fresh spinach leaves into it near the end of cooking. Doing so will add a bright green colour to the soup and provide added nutrition.
5 When making a stew, saucy curry, stir-fry or fried rice, for the same reasons noted for the soup above, mix in some thickly sliced fresh spinach leaves near the end of cooking
6 When making a puréed soup, such as asparagus, leek or broccoli, give it a stunning green colour by adding a handful of fresh spinach leaves just before processing.
7 When making lasagna or other layered casserole, such as scalloped potatoes, add a rich green colour by layering in some leaves of raw, fresh spinach. They’ll soften and cook as the lasagna or casserole heats through.
8 Use small whole or sliced fresh spinach leaves as a pizza topping.
9 Use gently wilted, drained spinach as an attractive base for poached eggs, meats, such as lamb chops, or seafood (see today’s recipe).
10 Replace the basil in your pesto recipe with spinach leaves to create a forest green and earthy version of it.
Garlicky Roasted Prawns for Two on Wilted Spinach
Bright pink, quick-cooking and flavourful prawns set upon a bed of emerald-green spinach. Add some steamed rice or boiled mini potatoes and dinner is ready.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: About 10 minutes
Makes: 2 servings
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp white wine
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp dried tarragon
• pinch cayenne pepper
10 to 12 large prawns or shrimp, peeled with the tip of the tail left intact, and then de-veined (see Note)
4 to 5 cups loosely packed fresh spinach leaves, washed well (about 1/2 large bunch)
• lemon slices for garnish
Preheat the oven to 425 F. Combine the first seven ingredients in a bowl. Set the prawns in a shallow-sided baking dish just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Spoon the olive oil mixture over the prawns. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until the prawns are just cooked through.
While the prawns cook, bring 1/8-inch of water to boil in a wide skillet. Add the spinach and cook until it barely wilts. Divide and arrange the spinach on two plates.
Divide and arrange the prawns on the spinach, spoon the pan juices over it all, garnish with lemon slices and enjoy.
Note: To de-vein the prawns, use a small paring knife to make a lengthwise slit along the back of each peeled prawn. Pull out, or rinse out with cold water, the dark vein. Pat the prawns dry and they are ready to use.
Chickpea and Spinach Soup
This recipe is from my book Everyone Can Cook Everything. It’s hearty soup and quick to make because there’s minimal chopping. If you use vegetable stock and skip the cheese, this soup is vegan.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 16-17 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
1Ú2 large red bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp dried oregano
2 Tbsp tomato paste
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 (19 oz.) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained well
2 cups fresh spinach leaves, thickly sliced
• salt to taste
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese to taste
Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in the oregano and tomato paste and cook 2 minutes longer. Add the stock and chickpeas, bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the spinach and cook until it just starts to wilt, about 1 minute. Taste the soup and season with salt as needed. Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.
Eric Akis is the author of the hardcover book Everyone Can Cook Everything. His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.
