How to choose and cook spinach?

Everything you need to know about spinach?

Raw or cooked, spinach is a great classic green vegetable.

When is spinach in season?

The spinach season is long and extends from September to June. That said, as soon as spring arrives, we prefer young shoots, perfect in salads, to the large, tougher leaves. They are eaten very fresh, generally the same day, since the green leaves do not last more than two days in the refrigerator. Popeye's favorite vegetable, these indeed have many nutritional qualities.

The nutritional benefits of spinach

If Popeye loves spinach for its iron content, in real life, it's a different story. Indeed, contrary to popular belief, spinach is not particularly rich in iron. On the other hand, it is a very low-calorie food, which contains a lot of dietary fiber and vitamins. This green vegetable is also one of the best food sources of vitamin B, involved in particular in the production of energy in the body. Be careful, however, with cooking in water which halves the vitamin C content of the foliage. To preserve it, we favor cooking in a pressure cooker, for example. But the best option to benefit from all their benefits is obviously to enjoy them raw! Spinach also has strong antioxidant powers and helps maintain good eye health.

How to cook spinach?

Spinach is a very easy to cook vegetable that can be incorporated into all kinds of recipes.

Preparing the spinach

We start by preparing the spinach by removing the stem and folding their leaves in half to gently remove the central vein. We wash the leaves under cold water, without letting them soak, to avoid losing vitamins. Shake them to remove excess water and drain them. To preserve the maximum nutritional value and their beautiful appearance, cooking should be brief.

Steaming spinach

For immediate consumption, steam cooking is preferred and the cooking time is 6 to 8 minutes. To store them in the freezer, blanch them quickly, drain them and possibly press them to extract excess water before putting them in the freezer.

Cooking spinach in a pan

You can fry the spinach leaves in the pan for 1 to 2 minutes, over high heat, with a drizzle of olive oil. Be careful, the spinach melts and reduces during cooking, so provide enough to avoid ending up with a micro dose of fiber at the table!

What ingredients to combine them with?

In the cooked version, spinach goes perfectly with cream, for example, to accompany eggs or fish. We brown them Chinese style in a pan with a little garlic and onion, before slipping them into a wok, or fried rice. For added comfort, place them at the bottom of a gratin dish with sliced ​​potatoes, or in the heart of our homemade ravioli with a little ricotta of course!

The youngest shoots, with very smooth foliage, add color and freshness to spring salads or homemade pizzas. Once cleaned and dried, we slip them into a blender, with a little garlic, parsley and basil for example for an ultra-refreshing gazpacho. Likewise, they can also be incorporated into a fresh juice or smoothie. To finish, we place the most beautiful leaves freely above our savory dishes, in order to flavor everything and add a dose of vitamins without caloric overload.

Here are 20 ultra-gourmet recipes to make peace with this seasonal vegetable.