ENGLISH SPINACH
English spinach has thick, soft oval leaves and green stems, both of which are edible. It has a delicate flavour and is most flavoursome from May to October.
Store unwashed bunches in a sealed plastic bag in the fridge for up to four days.
Trim the stem ends from the leaves. Rinse spinach to remove any last traces of soil. It is delicious when eaten raw in a salad or cooked until slightly wilted. Take care to not overcooked. Also great for smoothies!
Nutritional Benefit
It's an excellent source of vitamin C, folate and beta-carotene. It's also a good source of dietary fibre.
Recipe:
Spinach with Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
• 1 medium garlic clove, chopped
• 3 tablespoons well-stirred tahini (Middle Eastern sesame paste)
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/4 cup water
• 15 oz loosely packed baby spinach (24 cups)
• 2 teaspoons cumin toasted
Preparation
Blend together garlic, tahini, lemon juice, salt, and 1/4 cup water in a blender until smooth.
Bring remaining 1/4 cup water to a simmer in a 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat.
Add spinach in handfuls, tossing with tongs, and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes.
Drain spinach in a large sieve set over a bowl, pressing to extract any excess liquid.
Discard liquid and wipe bowl dry, then stir together spinach and tahini mixture in bowl. Sprinkle with cumin seeds.
Adapted from epicurious.com