For many, spinach is the stuff of school day nightmares; a soggy reminder of all that's wrong with poorly cooked food. But this much-maligned vegetable is very popular at delicious., so spinach-spurners, make it your friend!
True, the slightly metallic taste can take some getting used to, but with spinach it's what you match it with that counts. Like watercress, spinach is perfect in salads, it quickly wilts to add colour and nutritional value to pasta dishes, pies and tarts, is a natural accompaniment fish – both white fish, like haddock, and oily fish such as salmon and kippers – and complements cheese.
A particularly successful marriage to eggs has led to the popular egg and spinach combination, known as 'florentine' (not to be confused with the biscuits of the same name). You'll find this spinach-egg pairing on pizzas, pies and fish dishes.
Spinach is a great source of vitamins A, C and folic acid and contains respectable levels of the minerals calcium and iron, though not the amount lauded about in the 19th century; a misplaced decimal point led to an iron-content figure that was 10 times too high. Less well known is the presence of oxalic acid, which inhibits these minerals from being absorbed by the body.
Although its origins lie in Asia, spinach has been grown in Britain since the 14th century, and the Moors are thought to have introduced it to Europe as early as the 12th century. It's reasonably hardy, and available all year round, though the most tender spinach is best sourced in spring, especially unpackaged spinach from farmers' markets. Buy lots; its high water content makes it shrink to a quarter of its size when heated. Cut off any thick stems when preparing, as they're stringy and tough.
To cook, stir-frying and steaming are popular methods, as is microwaving. Store it in the fridge, in a plastic bag, and fresh spinach will keep for up to four days.