Delicooks

Characteristics of spinach
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is a plant of the Amaranthaceae family, like beet or Swiss chard. We generally eat the leaves (which are oval, smooth in texture and bright green) and part of the stem. It was first domesticated in Central Asia (former Persian empire), where it was called esfenaj. Most languages have adopted a variation of the original name. It arrived in the Iberian Peninsula by the way of the Arabs in the 11th century, and had spread through the rest of Europe by the 14th century. Today it  is the second most important leafy vegetable after lettuce, and is highly valued for its rapid growth, its versatility in the kitchen, its mild flavor and tender texture. Its success is also undoubtedly due to it being the perfect vegetable for freezing: it doesn’t lose color or nutrients and it keeps its organoleptic properties.

Season for spinach
Spinach is grown throughout the year, although the best time is in the cooler months, as the long days and heat causes the plant to produce seeds before its leaves have grown large.

How to buy spinach
Although it will entail more work cleaning, we recommend the bunches of fresh spinach sold in grocery stores and markets. This is a sure sign that they have been harvested locally and recently, which is very important in a perishable product. Even so, fresh spinach sold in bags is also a great option. In both cases, the leaves should have a deep green color, though the color may be lighter in smaller varieties. Spinach should be free of brown or yelllow spots and should have a smooth texture, with no signs of wilting.

Another option is to buy spinach frozen, a very popular and convenient way to buy spinach.

How to keep the spinach
Spinach has a high water content and is thus very fragile. If you need to keep spinach a few days it is advisable to keep the plants whole, with the stem attached, and in the refrigerator. Keep in a plastic bag open slightly, allowing them to retain some moisture while breathing. You can also keep spinach wrapped in a newspaper as if they were a bouquet of flowers. Spinach should thus keep for at least 4 or 5 days. Bagged spinach can keep for up to a week, depending on the date of packaging. Obviously, spinach can also be frozen, and later blanched or boiled.

Cooking spinach
Spinach is a great vegetable, and is very versatile in the kitchen. It can be used in all kinds of recipes. Try it sauteed with bacon, shrimp, other vegetables, meat, fish or as a filling for omelets. Cooked simply, spinach is a perfect first course or ingredient to give color and flavor to cream soups.

Remember, though, fresh spinach may come with lots of sand. Clean them by immersing (and separate the leaves from the stem) in cold water, repeating the process several times. Subsequently, and depending on the size, the use and the taste of the cook, you can remove part or all of the stem of each leaf.

Also bear in mind that the volume is reduced to about three quarters during cooking due to its high water content. And nutrients and color can be lost by cooking spinach in water. So try cooking in a covered frying pan with a small splash of water and a pinch of salt: their own juices will be enough to cook them. Or substitute water with a splash of oil and sauté for a richer flavor. In general, the  shorter the cooking time, the better, to avoid destroying its delicate texture, color and nutrients.

If you prefer your spinach raw, look out for smaller varieties grown specifically for the purpose

Frozen spinach is not suitable for salads but is ideal for soups, for cooking or frying, in omelets, cream soups, etc ...

OTHER
One of the great myths surrounding spinach is its high iron content, initially due to a scientific error, and subsequently to the adventures of Popeye: who can forget the cartoon sailor’s bulging muscles and superhuman strength brought on by downing a tin of the green stuff? The reality is less thrilling: spinach does not have more iron than most other vegetables. In fact, other leaf vegetables such as parsley or borage contain more. In addition, the iron in spinach is often not assimilated properly due to the oxalic acid in spinach that makes it insoluble.

Nevertheless, spinach is packed with other great nutrients: it is a great source of vitamins A and E. Spinach is also a major source of folic acid (or vitamin B9), essential for our metabolism. It also contains various antioxidants and iodine.