Spinach

Spinach is thought to have originated in ancient Persia (Iran). Spinach made its way to China in the 7th century when the king of Nepal sent it as a gift to this country. It was only brought to that continent in the 11th century, when the Moors introduced it into Spain. When it arrived in Britain, it was known as the "Spanish Vegetable". Spinach was the favorite vegetable of Catherine de Medici, a historical figure in the 16th century. When she left her home of Florence, to marry the king of France, she brought along her own cooks, who prepared the spinach the way that she especially liked. Since this time, dishes prepared on a bed of spinach are referred to as "a la Florentine."

Spinach has a distinctive, slightly bitter/metallic flavour, its available all year round, but the freshest, tenderest spinach is most easily obtainable in the spring. The leaves of spinach can be either flat or slightly ruffled, and are bright green when young.

Spinach has a high water content and so reduces to around a quarter of its
size when cooked. Pick dark green, thin-stemmed leaves with no signs of wilting or yellowing. And always make sure you wash spinach thoroughly. Give the leaves a good wash in a sinkful of lukewarm water to remove any traces of grit. Store spinach in a perforated plastic bag in the fridge. Don't wash before you refrigerate, or the leaves will go soggy and spoil.

The milder, young leaves of spinach are excellent used in salads, while the older leaves are usually best cooked. You can serve them as a side dish or use as an ingredient in soups and stews and stir fries.

Just a note on MALABAR SPINACH, also known as the Ceylon spinach,
Indian spinach, Red vine Spinach or simply known as Vine spinach. Funny thing is its not actually spinach at all! It's a popular green in Asian and Indian cooking.

When raw, Malabar spinach has very fleshy, thick leaves that are juicy and crisp with tastes of citrus and pepper. When cooked, Malabar spinach looks and taste a lot more like regular spinach. It doesn't wilt as fast, and it will hold up better when used in soups and stir-fries. Also like okra, it has a mucilaginous quality when cooked at length.

Use the Malabar spinach in any recipe that calls for spinach,
including all the classics; spinach soup, soufflés, quiche, omelettes, frittatas. Or just add some to a salad.