Spinach: from simple to sophisticated

Its wild ancestors were already present in the medieval garden as The Mésnagier de Paris, written toward the end of the XIVth century by a Parisian burgher for the instruction of his young wife indicates. In it we learn that the chenopod bon-henri and the amaranth were grown in pots. As the edible part of the plant grew above ground, it was ideologically more valued than root plants. The modern spinach plant appeared by selection in the sixteenth century. Grown directly in the earth, it is less fibrous, tenderer, requires shorter cooking time and can be consumed raw in a salad. Although spinach is not the miracle food heralded by Popeye, it is a valuable source of minerals and vitamins: per 100gm, it contains 500 mg of potassium, 100 mg of calcium, 79 mg of sodium, 60 mg of magnesium, 4 mg of iron and traces of selenium, zinc and copper. When consumed raw, a ½ cup of spinach brings 50 mg of vitamin A. Cooked it contains 20 mg. It brings 50% of the daily requirements in folic acid and 100% in vitamin A. As a leaf it has a high water content (90% of its weight when raw) and is the ideal food for a diet. To eliminate some of the water it is preferable to stir-fry rather than boil spinach. The fibers are excellent for the digestion, as was advertised in the medical treaties of the Middle Ages.
The following recipes present the versatility of this vegetable. It can be served as an accompaniment, a vegan meal suitable for wheat and milk allergies, an appetizer inspired by the Greek islands, or a sophisticated supper.

Stir-fried spinach (Easy, Preparation and cooking time: 10 minutes, Cheap)
Ingredients:
1 lb (500g) fresh spinach
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon vegetal oil

Material:
Large saucepan or wok
Set of tongues
Salad spinner
Peel and slice the garlic cloves.
Wash the spinach leaves in cold water. Dry in a salad spinner.
Place the wok on the medium setting of the stove. Add the oil. After a minute, add the garlic, stirring it constantly so that it does not color. Add the spinach. Stir from time to time, until the leaves withers.
Serve immediately or keep for the following two recipes.
Do not hesitate to refrigerate the washed spinach overnight in a kitchen towel before cooking. For the recipes that call for cooked spinach, press them with your fist in a colander to express all the water out.

Spinach brick appetizer (Delicate, Preparation and cooking time: 50 minutes, Cheap)
Ingredients:
5 brick sheets
½ lb (200g) fresh goat cheese
1 recipe stir-fried spinach
1 cilantro bouquet
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 egg and 1 white
Salt and pepper
Vegetal oil for frying

Material
Parchment paper
Salad bowl
Scissors
Large wok or pan
Set of tongues

Crack the egg in the salad bowl and beat it. Wash and mince the cilantro. Mince the cooked spinach and garlic cloves. Add it to the salad bowl. Add the cheese in pieces, the spinach shredded, salt and pepper. Mix until you obtain a uniform paste.
Cut each brick sheet in 3. Set them side by side on a piece of parchment paper. Set a spoonful of filling a little after the lowest extremity of a brick strip. Using your index finger, paint the rest of the strip with the egg white. Fold the extremity closest to the filling over it at an angle. Form a triangle by folding and refolding once toward the left, once towards the right. Repeat the process until you are out of bricks and filling.
Pour the oil into the saucepan and bring to a boil. Fry a few triangles at a time until they are golden. Remove them with a spatula or a set of tongues and set on a paper towel until all are cooked
Serve the 15 pastries warm as an appetizer.

Vegan spinach pie (Easy, Preparation and cooking time: 45 minutes, Cheap)
Ingredients
1 frozen pastry sheet unfrozen overnight in the refrigerator
1 stir-fry spinach recipe strained
1 cup spelt flower
1½ (340g) cups silken tofu blended
½ cup (130g) sunflower oil
1 teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Material:
1 11-inch (25 cm) pie mold with a removable bottom
Rolling pin
Parchment paper
Rice to weigh the pie
Salad bowl
Whip

Preheat the oven at 360 F (180 C).
Roll out the pastry sheet on the parchment paper. Butter and flour the pie mold. Lay out the pastry sheet on the pie mold. Pierce with a fork.
Place the spinach to cover the pastry sheet. In a bowl, mix the silken tofu, sunflower oil salt, red pepper flakes. Add the spelt flower until well blended. Cover the spinach with the batter.
Cook for 35 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted in the pie comes out clean.
Serves 4 for a light lunch. A salad composed of young fresh spinach with a fruity dressing provides the perfect complement.

Fruity dressing (Easy, Preparation time: 3 minute, Cheap)
Ingredients:
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 drops of Maggi seasoning
2 tablespoons fresh herbs (chives, dill or basil)
1 tablespoon shallots minced

Material:
Salad bowl
Whisk

Put the salt and pepper in the bowl. Whisk in all the other ingredients starting with the vinegar.
I keep my old jam jars and use them as I would a shaker, pouring in all the ingredients of the salad dressing.

Spinach flounder and scallop roll (Easy, Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes)
Ingredients:
4 fillets of flounder
8 sea scallops
8 spinach leaves
2 cups (500ml) fish stock

Material:
1 4-quart pot
1 ovenproof dish
Set of tongues
Paper towel
Toothpicks

Preheat the oven at 360F (180C).
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Dip the spinach leaves in the boiling water for a minute. Remove from the boiling water with the set of tongues and lay on a paper towel to dry.
Separate each flounder fillet in two by the middle. Lay a spinach leave on top. Place the scallop on the side of the fillet closest to you and roll until the scallop is nested within the fillet. Secure with toothpicks. Repeat 7 times.
Place the 8 rolls in the ovenproof dish. Cover with fish stock. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Serves four with rice and stir-fried spinach.