How to prepare Spinach

I love spinach! You’d swear I was related to Popeye. Today I’m going to share with you how I prepare my spinach for the freezer. Why would I do that you may ask. I often need a quick fix for stuffing big brown mushrooms, making a Greek pita, and what I’m now famous for amongst family and friends, my Spinach Pie. My Aunty Joyce always had spinach pie on hand whenever the family would visit them in JHB. ONE of her very special Jewish clients, Denise would make one for her at Christmas too. This recipe was shared with my Aunty Joyce when sadly her client got too old to make it. And of course Aunty Joyce shared the recipe with us too. I could not wait for a trip to JHB before I enjoyed Spinach Pie. Over the years I misplaced the recipe and decided to make my own version of the pie. Every time I make it it’s slightly different because I forget quantities and just use what ever I have in the fridge. This is definitely going to be in my cook book one day when Sarah gives me my 50th birthday present

Preparing Spinach follow the photos…like the yellow brick road

How to prepare Spinach

Course: food preparation

Keyword: Food Preparation

Materials

900g spinach thick stems removed, but vein still in leaf

Yield once cooked

215g stems keep and use for soups and stews
305g leaves Freeze - use in pies, tarts and quiches
366g juice Use in smoothies, soups and stews

Instructions

Rinse Spinach well - I grow my own and I don't spay it with any pesticides, so I'm mostly concerned about getting rid of soil, and bugs. If you buy it in the grocery store be sure to wash it properly. I use Triple Orange Bio Sanitise to do a good job to clean my store bought vegetables. (It's high on the Dirty Dozen list of foods containing residual pesticides)
Put 1 pkt of 300g rinsed spinach in a big saucepan with nothing else but the water coating it from the rinsing
Put the lid on
Remove and place in colander Repeat with remaining 600g
When cool prepare your chopping board, knife and bowl for the spinach juice
Remove the thick stems. You can cut the out at the beginning before you cook. But I think it's easier at this stage. I grip the stem in my left thumb and run my right thumb and forefinger down the stem to remove the wilted leaves
Take a handful of leaves and squeeze all the moisture out of the spinach. This is the most important step
Look at all that spinach juice
Keep the stems to use in stews, soups, casseroles. You can also make a cheese sauce and serve as a side dish.
Chop the spinach
Total original weight of spinach 900g after cooking this is the yeild
stem weight 215g
leaves 305g
juice 366g
Do not throw away the juice. Drink it or add to soups or smoothies. It's not cappuccino but it's really good for you.