WFU Home

SPINACH

Baked Beetroot and Apple Salad

Baked Spinach Frittata
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

  • 350g (12oz) spinach, washed and trimmed
  • 175g (6oz) salad potatoes
  • 4 spring onions, trimmed and chopped
  • 110g (4oz) hard parmesan style cheese, grated
  • a little melted butter
  • 6 eggs
  • 200ml (7fl oz) milk
  • freshly ground nutmeg
  • salt and pepper
METHOD
  1. Cook the potatoes and slice.
  2. Place the spinach in a pan, cover and set over medium heat for a few minutes until just wilted.
  3. Drain the spinach, squeeze out all the water and chop roughly.
  4. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6.
  5. Brush a 20cm (8in) flan tin or baking dish with a little melted butter.
  6. Beat the eggs with the milk.
  7. Stir in the cheese, spring onions and spinach and then gently fold in the potatoes.
  8. Season well with salt pepper and grated nutmeg.
  9. Pour into the tin or dish and bake for 30 minutes until set and golden.
  10. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into wedges and serving with salad.

Chilled Spinach and yoghurt Soup (new)
Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

  • 500g baby spinach, washed
  • 3 tblsp oilseed rape oil
  • 3 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed to a paste
  • 1 heaped tsp cumin seeds
  • 500ml water
  • 500g yoghurt
  • salt and pepper
METHOD
  1. Heat 1 tblsp of oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat.
  2. Add the spinach in batches and fry, stirring until it wilts and transfer to a bowl. Chop coursely.
  3. Heat the remaining oil and fry the shallots until soft.
  4. Add the garlic and cumin seeds.
  5. Then add the spinach and season.
  6. Add the water and bring to the boil.
  7. Stir in the yoghurt, a few tablespoons at a time, stirring well after each addition.
  8. Pour into a bowl and cool.
  9. Serve at room temperature or chilled for 2 hours, drizzled with a little cold pressed oilseed rape oil.
Creamed Spinach and Parmesan Cheese Risotto

INGREDIENTS

  • 50g (2oz) butter
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 225g (8oz) risotto rice
  • 1 litre (1¾pt) hot vegetable stock
  • 225g (8oz) fresh spinach, shredded finely
  • 4tbsp whipping cream
  • 50g (2pz) Paremesan cheese, finely grated
METHOD
  1. Melt half the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Cook on a low heat for 6 - 8 minutes, until the onions begin to soften.
  2. Add the rice and cook for a further 2 minutes.
  3. Pour in a quarter of the stock and simmer, stirring until all the liquid has been absorbed.
  4. Continue to stir for 20 minutes, adding a ladleful of stock each time the stock has been absorbed, until the rice is creamy and tender.
  5. Put 2 tbsp of water into a large saucepan ad heat. Once boiling, add the spinach, season and cook for 6 - 7 minutes.
  6. Transfer the spinach and liquor into a liquidiser and add the cream. Puree and put to one side.
  7. Stir the creamed spinach, Parmesan and remaining butter into the rice and check the seasoning. Serve.

Green Soup
Makes 3.5litres or 6 pints - Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

  • 225g (8oz) spinach, washed
  • 225g (8oz) rocket, washed
  • Oil
  • salt
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 small stalks of celery, chopped into small slices
  • 2 medium leeks, washed and thinly sliced
  • 2 courgettes
  • 225g (8oz) green beans, trimmed and cut into short pieces
  • 2 litres (3½ pints) chicken stock
  • bouquet garni
  • freshly milled black pepper
  • 125g (4½oz) fresh peas, shelled
  • few drops of lemon juice or vinegar
METHOD
  1. Wilt the spinach and rocket briefly with a little oil and a pinch of salt in a large pan over a medium heat.
  2. Drain in a colander and when the greens are cool, squeeze out the excess moisture and chop roughly. Put to one side.
  3. Saute the onions and celery with a little oil for about 5 minutes until tender.
  4. Add the leeks, courgettes and green beans and saute for another 5 minutes.
  5. Add the chicken stock and bouquet garni and bring to the boil. Simmer.
  6. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning.
  7. After about 3 minutes, add the peas and simmer for 3-4 more minutes.
  8. Remove the bouquet garni and add the spinach and rocket.
  9. Check the seasoning again. Add a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar and the freshly ground black pepper.
  10. Garnish with chopped fresh green herbs

Onion and Garlic Salad

Really Green Soup

Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

Spinach Risotto with Fennel (new)
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

  • 250g fresh leaf spinach
  • 2 large sprigs of mint, leaves only
  • 40g butter
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 bulb of fennel, finely chopped
  • 1.2l hot vegetable stock
  • 400g risotto rice
  • 150ml dry white wine
For the breadcrumb topping:
  • 3 tblsp cold pressed oilseed rape oil
  • 1 large clove of garlic, chopped
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 100g coarse breadcrumbs
METHOD
  1. Make the breadcrumb topping by heating the oil in a frying pan and cooking the garlic for about 1 minute. Add the breadcrumbs nd lemon zest and fry gently, stirring for a further 5 minutes. Set aside.
  2. Wilt the spinach and mint by pouring boiling water over them in a colander. Leave to drain.
  3. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion, season and saute for 5 minutes. Add the fennel, then saute for 10 minutes until soft. Meanwhile keep the stock hot in a pan over a low heat.
  4. Stir the rice into the fennel. Add the wine and cook, stirring until it is absorbed.
  5. Add a ladleful of stock and, stirring occasionally, cook until it is absorbed. repeat until all the stock is used and the rice is tender (about 18 minutes)
  6. Squeeze out all the water from the spinach and mint. Chop coursely and stir into the risotto.
  7. As soon as the spinach is heated through, remove from the heat, dot the remaining butter over, cover and leave for 2 minutes.
  8. Stir the butter in and serve, scattered with the the breadcrumb topping.

Spinach Tortilla
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

  • 450g (1lb) fresh leaf spinach
  • 340g (12oz) potatoes
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 425ml (15fl oz) pureed tomatoes
  • 6 medium eggs
METHOD
  1. Steam the spinach until soft.
  2. Boil the potatoes until soft but still firm. Drain and set aside.
  3. Saute the onion in the oil until transparent, then add half the pureed tomatoes and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
  4. Beat the eggs and divide in half. Mix one half with the spinach and the other half with the potatoes.
  5. Place the spinach mixture into a heated omlette pan and cook over a moderate heat for 2-3 minutes until the mixture comes away from the pan. Place the pan under a hot grill and allow the top of the omlette to rise slightly.
  6. Transfer to a serving plate and repeat the operation with the potato and egg mixture.
  7. Spread half the tomato mixture over the spinach omlette and cover with the potato omlette.
  8. Finally, cover the top with the remaining tomato mix and serve.
www.wfu.org.uk