Spinach dish

Name: Spinach dish - Lavinia I.
Ingredients: 1 kg spinach; 5; 6 green onions; 200 g chopped tomatoes; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 3 tablespoons oil; 1 chicken stock cube; 1/2 lemon; salt; pepper

Savory - Spinach dish by Lavinia I. - Recipia

In our home, spinach is almost always eaten this way: sautéed with onions, tomatoes, and a little tomato paste. We serve it simply, with toasted bread, but most of the time I also add fried eggs on top. The spinach is blanched before it goes into the dish, then it is boiled together with the onions, tomatoes, and lemon until it reduces to our liking. Quick Info Total time: approximately 45-55 minutes, excluding the exact time for cleaning and washing the spinach Preparation time: cleaning and washing time is not specified Cooking time: approximately 40-50 minutes Servings: not specified in the original recipe Difficulty: easy Recipe type: spinach dish, suitable for a simple lunch or dinner Ingredients 1 kg spinach 5-6 green onions 200 g chopped tomatoes 1 tablespoon tomato paste 3 tablespoons oil 1 chicken stock cube 1/2 lemon Salt Pepper For serving, the dish can be accompanied by toasted bread and fried eggs. These are not included in the list of ingredients for the spinach dish, but are just a serving suggestion from the original recipe. Preparation method 1. Carefully clean the spinach and wash each leaf very well. Spinach can have dirt between the leaves, so it is important not to wash it in a hurry. 2. Boil a pot of water with a little salt. When the water starts to boil, add the spinach and blanch it for 4-5 minutes. 3. Remove the spinach from the water and let it drain. After it has drained, chop it before adding it to the dish. 4. Clean and wash the green onions, then chop them finely. Heat the oil in a pot and sauté the onions for 3-4 minutes. 5. Add the chicken stock cube and a little water. Let the onions simmer in this mixture for about 10 minutes. 6. Add the blanched and chopped spinach to the pot. Add water and let the dish boil for another 10-15 minutes. 7. Incorporate the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Continue boiling for about 10 minutes. 8. Cut the half lemon into small cubes and add it to the dish. Let everything simmer for a few more minutes. 9. Continue to boil until the dish reduces to your liking. Finally, taste and adjust the salt and pepper. The dish is served warm, simply, with toasted bread. For the version we usually prepare, fried eggs are placed on top. Why I make this recipe often It is the easiest way we eat spinach at home and doesn’t require many ingredients. The preparation is simple, and the taste changes significantly compared to just boiled spinach, thanks to the onions, tomatoes, and lemon. The dish can be left more reduced or with more sauce, depending on everyone's preference. Tips and variations Tips Wash the spinach leaf by leaf, especially if it is fresh bulk spinach. The leaves can retain sand or dirt even after a quick wash. Do not skip the blanching. In this recipe, the spinach is blanched first for 4-5 minutes, then drained and chopped before being placed in the pot. The amount of water is not mentioned exactly, so add it gradually. The dish should be able to boil, but in the end, it should reduce to the desired consistency. The lemon is added cut into cubes and is allowed to simmer for a few more minutes. If you want to keep the tangy taste more subtle, it is important to consider the amount of lemon used, as it directly influences the final flavor. Salt is checked at the end, after adding the chicken stock cube. This is already salty and may change how much more salt needs to be added. Substitutions The recipe uses fresh spinach, green onions, chopped tomatoes, and tomato paste. No substitutions are indicated in the original version, and the flavor is tied to the combination of these ingredients. If you do not have fresh chopped tomatoes, the source does not specify an exact alternative, so it is better to keep the quantity and type of ingredients as close to the recipe as possible. Variations The dish can be left to reduce more for a thicker consistency or can remain with more liquid. This is adjusted during boiling without needing to change the ingredients. In the original version, a chicken stock cube is used. If you choose not to use it, the final flavor will be different, and the salt will need to be adjusted separately. However, the basic recipe includes it. Fried eggs are not mixed into the dish. They are prepared separately and placed on top at the time of serving. Serving ideas Serve the spinach dish warm, with toasted bread. The combination with fried eggs is the one used in the original recipe and can transform the dish into a more substantial meal. If you prefer the dish simple, it can be served just with toasted bread. In any variant, it is good to be consumed after it has been adjusted with salt and pepper at the end. Frequently asked questions Can frozen spinach be used? The original recipe is written for 1 kg of fresh spinach, which is cleaned, washed, and blanched. The quantity for frozen spinach is not specified, so using it would require adjusting the amount of water and the preparation steps. Why is spinach blanched beforehand? Spinach is blanched for 4-5 minutes, then removed and drained. This is the step provided in the recipe before the actual boiling with the onions, tomatoes, and tomato paste. How much water is added? The exact amount is not mentioned. A little water is added to the onions, together with the chicken cube, then more water is added when the spinach is put in. Finally, the dish is left to reduce as desired. When is the lemon added? The lemon cut into cubes is added after the tomatoes and tomato paste have boiled for about 10 minutes. After adding the lemon, the dish needs to simmer for a few more minutes. Can fried eggs be served in the same pot? Fried eggs are prepared separately and placed on top when serving. They are a serving suggestion, not part of the preparation of the spinach dish. Nutritional values The values are estimates and refer to the entire quantity of food, excluding toasted bread and fried eggs. They may vary depending on the exact amount of oil, onions, and the stock cube used. For the entire recipe: Calories: approximately 650-750 kcal Protein: approximately 30-35 g Carbohydrates: approximately 60-70 g Fat: approximately 40-45 g Fiber: approximately 20-25 g If the dish is divided into 4 servings, one serving would have approximately 160-190 kcal, without eggs and bread. A fried egg and the toasted bread are not included in these values, as their quantities do not appear in the ingredient list. Storage and reheating After cooling, the dish is stored in the refrigerator in a covered container. When reheating, place the portion in a pot and heat until hot. If it has thickened too much, a little water can be added, but this changes the final consistency. Fried eggs are better prepared separately and added only at the time of serving. The spinach dish can be reheated, but the egg changes its texture more easily if heated together with it.