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Thanks to smart farming techniques, farm-fresh greens can be found almost year-round at the market but the true season for spinach in the mid-Atlantic is spring. Look for spinach that is unblemished and sprightly with crisp stems that snap. Anything else is too old.
Store
Once home from the market, I find it easiest to rinse the spinach and store for the week. This ready-to-go approach helps ensure I will not let it go to waste. Spinach can be gritty but using the fresh greens rinse, this can be completely resolved. Place the greens into a large bowl of cold water and swish around with your hands. Wait a moment for the dirt to settle, then gently lift just under the greens and place in a colander. Toss the water, rinse the bowl and repeat 1-2 more times, depending on how dirty the leaves appear at first. Spread out the leaves on a strip of paper towels or very clean towels (that have not been washed with fabric softener…which, BTW, you should never use for towels anyway. 🙂 ) Let dry for about 10 minutes then roll up and store in the fridge in a plastic bag. The spinach should keep for a week.
Prep
There are two types of spinach sold at the market. Baby leaves, which are more delicate and perfect raw in salads, and thicker more mature leaves, which are still great for salads but also great for cooking. For more mature, curly leaves, remove any thick, tough stems. Baby spinach stems do not need to be removed. You can julienne (cut into thin strips) leaves by placing several leaves on top of each other, then rolling into a cigar shape. Starting at the top, slice ribbons. This type of prep works well for cooking.
When sautéing spinach, I usually do so with some chopped shallot, garlic or spring onion. Sometimes I add a splash of vermouth or white wine and bubble away until the alcohol dissipates…about 7 minutes . Once softened, I usually try to remove the excess moisture either by squeezing it out with a pair of tongs as I remove the spinach from the pan. Or, I remove the spinach from the pan and let cool a bit before squeezing out all the excess moisture with my hands. I will sometimes give it an extra chop with the knife. If you are eating as a side dish, then this is more of a preference than a necessity. However, if you plan to mix in with scrambled eggs, I find it necessary.
Sometimes, I will return from the market and toss my just-rinsed spinach into the pan and sauté, as mentioned above. I keep the drained spinach in the fridge to reheat for recipes during the week. Cooked spinach is fantastic in a quiche or any egg dish.
Other times when the weather is a bit dreary, I reheat the drained spinach in a pan with a tiny pinch of nutmeg then add a dollop of cream to bubble and reduce.
Recipes
Strawberry-Rhubarb Spinach Salad
Apple and Pear Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Asian Rice Noodles with Carrots, Cabbage and Greens