(no subject)

[gosling]

It was perhaps unwise to buy Costco quantities of fresh spinach. Particularly with a "best if used by" date of the 8th. So, anyone have any particularly inspired recipes for excessive quantities of spinach that will tolerate constant toddler-driven interruptions during the preparation and cooking process?

Extra bonus points if it is something vegan using no corn, soy, nuts, beans, heavy spices (particularly chili) or citrus, and hence something Benjamin can eat too. (Yeah, I know; it is rather limiting. That's why I said extra bonus points. At least wheat, carrots and squash are no longer on the forbidden list.)

Comments

[cowgrrl.livejournal.com]

Maybe you could freeze some of it? There are instructions here:

http://www.gardenguides.com/TipsandTechniques/freezing.htm

[dianec42.livejournal.com]

Saag paneer!

It's not vegan, but it's what I'd do. Hmm, maybe you can fake something similar using extra-firm tofu....?

Darnit, I need a food icon. (-:

[feste-sylvain.livejournal.com]

What she said. Moreover, you can search for all sorts of Indian spinach recipes with the word "saag" (or occasionally "sag").

[quietann.livejournal.com]

no soy, though.

[dianec42.livejournal.com]

sigh. see that tea icon? That's what I need to have before I post.....

Saag something though. Of that I am sure.

[bedfull-o-books.livejournal.com]

You could make tomato sauce and put spinach in it. I was going to say spinach lasagna, but that has dairy in it.... Good luck.

At some point next week I'll probably be dropping off my car so it can live in your driveway for a few days again. (You were such good "babysitters" last time....) I've already mentioned this to Chip so he knows about it. Leaving on Thursday, so will drop off the car Wednesday night.

[gosling.livejournal.com]

Sounds good. We'll just shift cars around later if need be. Any idea what time?

[dbang.livejournal.com]

My dad just sent me this recipe last week. Haven't tried it yet. If you do, let me know how it is:

simplified creamed spinach soup:

**1 lb frozen chopped spinach (loose leaf bag is easier than the frozen chunk). Thaw if you remember; otherwise don't worry about it.
**2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
**1 1/2 - 2 cups chicken or turkey stock
**3/4 cup half and half
**3/4 cup milk
**salt and pepper
**(optional: juice of half a lemon)
**(optional: mashed, grated, or seived hard-boiled egg)
-------------------------------------------
**heat olive oil over medium, toss in spinach, cook until thawed and soft-ish. Put in blender, add enough stock to facilitate mixing. Blend to a liquid more or less.
**Put in saucepan with rest of stock, half-and-half, milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
**Heat to hot, over moderate heat, but avoid boiling.

Serve -- add lemon juice, eggs as desired.

Love,
Dad

[keyne.livejournal.com]

Mollie Katzen has a nice white bean and escarole soup in Enchanted Broccoli Forest in which spinach can sub for escarole, but I suppose that won't do for Benjamin. (Also, we sometimes make lentil soup with spinach.)

Plain wilted spinach with a dash of soy sauce and a dash of sesame oil if desired -- YUM.

[treacle-well.livejournal.com]

Cook it, freeze it, deal with it later. (Well, that's what I would do.)

I tend to like just plain cooked spinach. Sometimes I just stir it into rice, or into a bunch of sliced sauteed kielbasa. Once I just chopped up the cooked spinach, added egg and cream or milk or something, and maybe some cheese and just baked it--it came out nicely souffleesque and I wasn't even trying. A dash of nutmeg on spinach can also be nice.

[halleyscomet.livejournal.com]

I second that plan.

The freezer is our friend.

If it's full grown as opposed to "Baby" I'd recommend stemming it before cooking.

Steamed spinach will also be good in a variety of stir fry options. Steam it, then with it still in the pan add any other components you desire.

I wonder what happens if you use Spinach in place of Seaweed in Miso soup. I think I'll pick up some tofu and find out...

My mother has a spinach pie recipe that consists mostly of ricotta cheese and spinach. I found something similar in the Moosewood cook book. Aside form being tasty, and if made with low fat cheese fairly healthy, it freezes very well.

You could also use a generous helping of it in the mushroom based turkey meatloaf recipe I found on Epicurious.com. I've found it very flexible, and I see no reason why you can't omit the meat all together and increase the spinach and mushroom content. Come to think of it, I think I'll try that this weekend.

Tonight, I'll grab Whuffle's copy of the moosewood cook book and see what i can find.

I can't decide if my kitchen instincts are a sign that i have the makings of a good cook, or a mad scientist.

[gosling.livejournal.com]

I suspect the line between good cook and mad scientist can be disturbingly fine at times...

[dianec42.livejournal.com]

I don't suspect this.

I know it for a fact. (-:

[halleyscomet.livejournal.com]

For an example, watch "Iron Chef"

[deguspice.livejournal.com]

It was perhaps unwise to buy Costco quantities of fresh spinach.

Long ago, I learned that when stocking up for a party, it's not a good idea to buy chips, M&Ms, or salsa in "Costco quantities".  This is also true for personal use.  Now when I go to the local wholesale club, I'll try to figure out what are the odds that I'll use up the item before it goes bad.  Now, I'll usually just buy batteries, paper goods, frozen food, software, books, 12 gallons of soda(*), ....


(*) Pepsi for Arisia

[koshmom.livejournal.com]

Quiche? It's not vegan, but eggs are pretty gentle on the tummy.

[gosling.livejournal.com]

My family has a history of scary egg allergies AND if he winds up allergic to eggs there are some innoculations that he can't have, so eggs are at the very top of the list of things he can't have until he is at least two but more likely three (along with shellfish and nuts).

[whuffle.livejournal.com]

Wilted Korean Spinach & Sesame Salad uses great swaths of spinach. So does making pasta with it (which can be stored for a while) and so does just pureeing the spinach up and freezing it for later use. For that matter, so does Spanikopita.

[gosling.livejournal.com]

yum. all of those sound really tasty.

[sweetmmeblue.livejournal.com]

I have a stuffed portabello mushroom recipie if you want it.

[gosling.livejournal.com]

That would be great. Thank you.

mizarchivist & sweetmmeblue's stuffed mushrooms

[sweetmmeblue.livejournal.com]

4 lg portabello mushrooms with stems
3 Tbs grease (butter or margarine)
1/4 red or sweet onion
3 Tbs chopped garlic (amount may vary by preference)
1 Tbs parsley
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 breadcrumbs (unseasoned preferred)
1 c chicken broth (low salt)
1 pkg defrosted spinach (green giant's works really well)
grated parmesan (optional)

Clean mushrooms
remove stems and chop fine
Saute stems with garlic, half the butter, and the herbs
Add breadsrumbs and the rest of the butter
Moisten with broth (if you don't need all 1 cup don't use it)
Add spinach amd mix until consistent

Grease cookie tray and place the caps face up
Spoon spinach mix into caps. Do not over-fill
top with cheese and maybe a little bread crumbs
Cover with foil and cook for 20 minutes or until caps are soft. (or remove the foil after 15 minutes to brown the cheese if you like)

soups, creamed spinache...

[musicjill.livejournal.com]

just use margarine and rice milk instead- still turns out great :)

Re: soups, creamed spinache...

[gosling.livejournal.com]

Most margerine has soy. I wonder, however, if one of the rather nicer cooking oils might work as a substitute, although I suspect one would need to use very minimal amounts.

[(Anonymous)]

My favorite spinach recipe:

sautee chopped garlic in olive oil
add some ginger if you have it
add a little soy sauce
add as much spinach as you can possibly fit in the pan
(my mother and I routinely go through a pound at lunch; it cooks down)
(for a pound, it would be on the order of a tablespoon of oil, a teaspoon of everything else)

Baby spinach also makes a really nice salad with tomatoes, dried cranberries, and
toasted nuts.

-E