When to consume them?
Introduced by the Moors and Crusaders to Europe, Catherine de Medici brought her favorite vegetable back to France in the 16th century. Now known around the world, he is nevertheless Popeye the best propagandist of all time. Even if this cartoon contributed to the spread of a misconception: no, spinach is not particularly rich in iron.
Spinach is available all year round: in spring and autumn the suppliers are Brittany, Île-de-France and Picardy. In winter, Provence takes over.
How to choose spinach?
Buy well-shaped, unblemished, firm leaves of a beautiful dark green. Prefer young shoots which are often softer and less stringy.
Their health benefits
Spinach is one of the lightest plants. A portion of 200 g of cooked spinach provides only 36 kcal and allows you to fill up with vitamins (A, C, B9 and E), iron and magnesium.
How to prepare them?
Wash the leaves with plenty of water to get rid of soil only before preparing. Once washed, the stem (fibrous) should be removed by breaking it.
Tips for cooking spinach properly
Consume raw spinach (young shoots), in salad or in a sandwich, such as watercress or sorrel, to which it mixes very well. Do not hesitate to add apples, Parmesan, mozzarella or even orange segments for vitamin, colorful and refreshing starters.
To cook spinach, it can be blanched quickly in salted boiling water. But, in order to preserve its nutritional qualities as much as possible, it is preferable to steam it or steam it. Or, ten minutes in a pan or in a wok. In any case, it is delicious plain or just served with a little butter and lemon juice, Mornay sauce, béchamel or crème fraîche. Spinach is an ideal garnish for meats (veal and poultry) and especially fish, starting with salmon and cod.
It also lends itself very well to egg preparations, especially omelettes. It garnishes pies, pies, pastry sheets, alone or with fresh goat and sheep cheese (feta) in particular, and why not with a handful of raisins. Spinach also likes gratins in which pasta, bacon, béchamel … are welcome. Finally, it is the vegetable for so-called “Florentine” preparations (based on crème fraîche, shallots, garlic and crushed tomatoes).
For further
Foods rich in iron
