Wilted Spinach
Old fashioned cooks boiled spinach in a large quantity of salted water.
This did set the color, but it also removed many of the vitamins.
Steaming spinach in the water that clings to the leaves after washing
is simple and provides the most nutritious finished vegetable.
Pile the washed spinach (whole leaves, shredded, or chopped) in a large
kettle. Packing the leaves won’t hurt anything. Cover the kettle and
cook over high heat for several minutes – the cooking time will depend on the
amount of spinach, but 3 minutes for 2 or 3 pounds is about right.
Remove the cover after 1 minute and use a long handled fork to toss the
spinach, moving the less wilted leaves into contact with the bottom of
the kettle. Once the spinach is wilted and still very green, drain off
any remaining water, pressing slightly to remove excess liquid. Add a
little butter, season with salt and pepper, and serve at once. Do not
overcook or the spinach will lose its bright green color and fresh
flavor.
For a lightly fancier dish, top the cooked spinach with chopped hard
cooked egg. This will give you a dish called spinach mimosa. Or arrange
sliced hard cooked eggs on top.
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