On Sat, 26 Jul 2008 20:19:07 +0200, Steve Y >
wrote:
>I'm told that spinach is good for me but I am struggling to find a way
>to prepare it that I enjoy. Just h ad some straight from the garden
>that I wilted in a wok in some oil in which I'd lightly sauted some
>ginger and garlic. Result was OK but not interesting. Anyone have any
>ideas for ways of preparing it that could be considered both tasty and
>healthy (ie no cream/cheese)
You might reconsider your aversion to cheese.
http://lowfatcooking.about.com/od/faqs/f/cheese.htm
>
I've never cooked spinach with both ginger and garlic, but I love
sautéed fresh spinach with oodles of garlic. Use spinach in soup....
albondigas, italian sausage soup, minestrone, pinto bean soup. You
get the picture. Try Joe's Special, stuffed breast of veal or lamb,
spanakopita (use half cottage cheese and half feta instead of all
feta) - there are tons of spinach recipes.
http://www.spinachrecipes.org/
http://recipes.lovetoknow.com/wiki/C...pinach_Recipes
http://homecooking.about.com/library.../blspinach.htm
Here are two recipes for you, just in case you change your mind about
cheese.
Gnudi
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
User Rating: 4 Stars
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (use skimmed, it's no biggie)
1 pound frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup grated Parmesan (don't cheap out, use the good stuff)
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus 1 cup for coating
1 jar store bought marinara sauce, heated (I make my own)
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
In a large bowl, mix ricotta, spinach, Parmesan cheese, eggs, and
yolks. Stir in nutmeg, salt, pepper, and flour. Form mixture in to
small, flattened balls.
Dredge the formed gnudi in flour to coat, tapping off the excess.
Slide formed gnudi into the boiling water. Be careful not to
overcrowd the pan; work in batches if necessary. Remove the gnudi
using a slotted spoon after they float to the top and have cooked for
about 4 minutes.
Arrange gnudi on a platter and lightly drizzle with marinara sauce.
Episode#: EI0802
Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved
Chicken Saltimbocca
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
6 (3-ounce) chicken cutlets, pounded to evenly flatten
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 paper-thin slices prosciutto (I use black forest ham)
1 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 (14-ounce) can low-salt chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Place the chicken cutlets flat on the work surface. Sprinkle the
chicken with salt and pepper. Lay 1 slice of prosciutto (I use 1/2 a
slice of paper thin ham) atop each chicken cutlet.
Squeeze the frozen spinach to remove the excess water. Season the
spinach with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, toss the spinach with
1 tablespoon of oil to coat.
Arrange an even, thin layer of spinach atop the prosciutto slices.
Sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over each. Beginning at the short
tapered end, roll up each chicken cutlet as for a jellyroll. Secure
with a toothpick.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large skillet over
high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until golden brown, about 2
minutes per side. Add the chicken broth and lemon juice, and scrape
the browned bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring
the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover and simmer
until the chicken is just cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a platter. Simmer the cooking liquid over
high heat until it is reduced to about 2/3 cup, about 5 minutes.
Season the cooking liquid with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove
toothpicks from the chicken. Drizzle the reduced cooking liquid over
the chicken and serve immediately.
Episode#: EI1B11
Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved
--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.
Mae West