Picking and Preparing Spinach

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Harvesting is a pinch, and turning leaves into tasty meals is a cinch.

Photo: Jefferson Kolle

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by Sarah Leah Chase
May 1997
from issue #8

Spinach never ceases to surprise when it comes to how quickly a seemingly humongous amount can cook down to a mere mouthful. Generally, I plan on 3 lb. of spinach to serve six people, though there are times when my passion for this tender green might lead me to consume that much myself. Frozen blocks of spinach cannot compare with the flavor of the fresh leaves.

But, alas, spinach by nature requires washing, soaking, and stemming before it can be savored. Truth be told, I actually find washing spinach rather soothing. Sand or dirt is best removed by soaking the greens several minutes in a basin filled with cold water. The grit embedded in the leaves will sink to the bottom. Repeat the process of filling and draining the sink until no grit remains.

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Comments (1)

earlemays writes: I, too, never cease to be amazed at how much spinach it takes to make enough for a meal. Perhaps that's because I love it so much that I have to make huge amounts of it if my husband wants any!
Washing the spinach is always a bit of a challenge but I have found something that works for me. I use one of the large Tupperware popcorn bowls to soak the spinach because it's deep enough for the leaves to float. After a good soak, I dunk the leaves a couple of times and then use a small colander with a handle to scoop out the clean leaves, ready for de-stemming.

Posted: 9:12 pm on June 11th

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