Oysters on Spinach

 

Ingredients

Oysters

2 pounds Spinach 

1/2 small onion, chopped fine

1/2 cup thin white sauce, with more white sauce to season for service.

1/8 teaspoons Mace

garlic salt

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon Brandy

10 Oysters, shelled but keep half the shells for service

Rock salt

Process

1. Place rock salt in bottom of pan and heat in oven.

2. Wash and cook the spinach. As soon as leaves are wilted, remove from heat and chop very fine.  

3. Add the onion and white sauce. Stir to combine. 

4. Add the Mace, garlic salt, salt and pepper. Stir and heat. 

5. Add the Brandy. 

6. Put in the top of a double boiler and heat. 

7. Take Oysters out of shells. 

8. Lay a good firm layer of the spinach mixture in each shell and place the oyster back on top.

9. Cover each oyster with seasoned white sauce and sprinkle with Mace. 

10. Place in heated pan in the oven. 

11. Bake 10 minutes and serve immediately.

Oysters on Spinach

 

Makes 10, 4 a piece? I do not understand the notation but here is the recipe. 

"Wash and cook, uncovered, 2 pounds spinach. As soon as leaves are withered remove from fire and chop very fine. Add 1/2 small onion, chopped fine, a 1/2 cup thin white sauce, 1/8 teaspoon Mace, pinch of garlic salt, salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon Brandy. Put in the top of a double boiler over fire. Take oysters out of shell and lay on good firm bed of spinach with in shell oyster on top. Cover each with seasoned white sauce, sprinkle with mace, and set all in oven to bake bedded in pan, already heated with rock salt. Bake ten minutes. Serve Immediately. "

Matzo Spanakopita

This recipe from Food 52 was slightly fussy in the way it was written. I will rewrite it this weekend because it really should be doubled. It is filling and tasty and I highly recommend it.

Matzo Spanakopita

Serves 4 to 6

For the sauce:

•   8 TB (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
•   4 TB potato starch(or substitute corn starch)
•   4cups whole milk
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
•   2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the spanakopita:

•   6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
•   2 cup sliced shallots
•   2 garlic clove, thinly sliced
•   2 pound fresh spinach  
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
•   6 large eggs
•   2 teaspoon grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
• 1 box matzo
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
•   1 & 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 cup pine nuts, toasted

1. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Whisk in the potato starch. Slowly pour in the milk and bring to a simmer, whisking continuously to prevent the sauce from becoming lumpy and sticking to the bottom of the pot. Simmer until the milk has thickened and the starchy flavor has cooked out, 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
2. Whisk the Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, and salt into the sauce. Transfer to a small heatproof bowl, cover with a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate until fully cooled, about 20 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a colander with a clean kitchen towel and set in the sink. Brush a 9x13 baking dish with 2 tablespoon of the olive oil.
4. Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. When it begins to shimmer, add the shallots and garlic and cook until soft and translucent, 5 minutes. Add the spinach, season with salt and pepper, and cover. Cook the spinach, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 6 minutes. Pour the vegetable mixture into the colander and use the kitchen towel to squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Set aside to cool.
5. Remove the cooled sauce from the refrigerator and whisk in the eggs. Stir the lemon zest into the spinach mixture. Make a payer matzo in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Cover with 1 cup sauce, then spread 2 cup of the spinach mixture over the sauce. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoon of the Parmesan, 6 tablespoons of the feta, and 6 tablespoons of the pine nuts. Place another sheet of matzo on top, pressing down gently. Repeat the layers, then cover the final sheet of matzo with the remaining sauce, Parmesan, and feta.
6. Transfer to the oven and bake until the feta on top turns golden brown, the sauce puffs up, and the matzo softens, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove and allow the pie to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Chickpea and Spinach Stew from Food and Wine

This is a recipe for a tasty chickpea stew that was riffed off a Food and Wine recipe. I added a couple tablespoons tomato paste and a couple cups chicken stock. It was simmered uncovered for a while to let the flavors marry. We served it over rice cooked in chicken stock.

Chickpea and Spinach Stew from Food and Wine

 Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 10 ounces leaf spinach 
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
• Kosher salt
• Pinch of saffron threads
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Pinch of ground cloves
• Pinch of freshly ground pepper
• Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas with their liquid
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 large tomato—peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup golden raisins 
• 2-3 tbl spoons tomato paste
• rice
• 1 cup (+ whatever is needed for rice) chicken stock

Process
1. Prepare the rice and cook, according to instructions, in chicken stock in place of water.
2. Pour the water into a large deep skillet and bring to a boil. 
3. Add the spinach leaves and cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until wilted. (~2 minutes)
4. Drain the spinach in a colander and press to extract the liquid. 
5. Coarsely chop the spinach. 
6. Take the mashed garlic and mix it with the salt and saffron. Mix into a paste.  
7. Transfer paste to a small bowl. Add the paprika, cumin, cloves and black pepper and mash together until thoroughly combined. Stir in 1/4 cup of the chickpea liquid. 
8. Wipe out the skillet. Add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet and heat until shimmering. 
9. Add the onion and tomato and cook over medium high heat. Stir occasionally until softened (~3 minutes). 
10. Add the garlic mash to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. 
11. Add the chickpeas to the skillet. 
12. Add the raisins and bring to a boil over medium high heat. 
13. Add 2-3 tomato paste to thicken.
14. Add the spinach and reduce heat to medium and SIMMER for 15 minutes. 
15. Add chicken stock to achieve desired saucy-ness.  
16. Lay out serving dishes and fill with the rice cooked in chicken stock. Add chickpea stew to bowls. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and serve.

La's Green Salad with Strawberries & Goat Cheese

This picture totally doesn't do it justice!
Green Salad with Strawberries & Goat Cheese

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup or brown sugar
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 cups baby spinach
3 cups watercress, tough stems removed
2.5 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1/3 cup fresh chives, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese (or more, if you're anything like us!)

Directions
1. Whisk maple syrup (or brown sugar), vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
2. Add spinach, watercress, strawberries & chives; toss to coat.
3. Divide the salad among plates and top with pecans and goat cheese.

Tip: To toast chopped or sliced nuts, stir constantly in a small, dry skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

HiHo's Famous Spinach Dip

This dish epitomizes Mom in terms of my favorites dishes. I also adore this picture of my mother as a young girl in Stonington. I see my oldest son in her face, they were almost doppelgangers a few years ago. Only a handful of recipes things conjure such a direct, memory filled, and long term connection to my Mom - and this is most certainly one of them. . Spinach dip sandwiches, tea sandwich sized pieces served on red and gold plates, were a Christmas tradition for my Mom.
This recipe is easily doubled or tripled for large groups. It became my staple, as the family vegetarian, for many years. It was our most frequent meal in college, so this one is for you La!

Ingredients
1 package frozen chopped spinach
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 cup mayonnaise (or less)
1 cup sour cream (or less)
salt
pepper
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Juice of 1/2 a lemon (or a tablespoon of the stuff in the jar)

Process

1. Places frozen spinach into strainer. Thaw spinach and drain thoroughly.
   
2. Press to remove extra water, ladles or potato mashers also work well.
   
3. Mix all ingredients and add to drained spinach.
   
4. Mix well.
   

Dip is better if allowed to chill a few hours or overnight. Serve with raw vegetables or make into small sandwiches.

Spinach Lasagna

Ingredients
at least 10 lasagna noodles
2 packages (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 Tablespoon oil
1 cup or more grated carrots
1 can (15oz) tomato sauce
1 can (6oz) tomato paste
1/2 cup chopped olives
1 and 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 cups cottage cheese
1 pound Monterrey Jack cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Process

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cook noodles and drain.
3. Grease a 13 x 9 baking dish.
4. Put a layer of noodles into dish.
5. In a frying pan, saute onions.
6. Add carrots and mushrooms and cook until tender.
7. Stir in tomato sauce, paste, olives and oregano.
8. Layer cottage cheese over noodles.
9. Layer spinach over cheese.
10. Layer sauce over spinach.
11. Layer 1/3 Monterrey Jack cheese.
12. Repeat and place remaining cheese over top.
13. Bake for 30 minutes.

Spinach Casserole

Every two weeks, as I near the end of a pay cycle, I turn to those "refrigerator meals" that use what is on hand and clean out the refrigerator at the same time. I am not a wizard with left overs like HiHo was, but I am pretty darn good at using what we have. This week, we have had a run on chopped spinach, something we always have on hand because of how much I love HiHo's spinach dip. Well, this recipe I am making tonight and it was given to me back in college by dear Ciri, who served it the same night she made that carrot soup I posted a few days ago. Simple, easy, and yummy even the kids love it!

Ingredients
3 packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed, cooked and drained thoroughly
1/2 package dried onion soup mix
1 pint sour cream
buttered bread crumbs

Process

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   
2. Mix prepared spinach with sour cream and soup mix.
   
3. Place in casserole dish and top with bread crumbs.
   
4. Bake 45 minutes and serve!
   

Artichoke Spinach Dip

Ingredients
2 cans artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained
1 rectangle reduced fat cream cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
crudite (to serve with)

Process

1. In a food processor, place one can of artichokes, cream cheese, Parmesan, lemon juice, and garlic and pulse gently.
   
2. Add remaining ingredients and pulse again until smooth.
   
3. Place in microwave bowl, and heat on high 1 or 2 minutes until warmed.
   
4. Serve with crudite or toasted tortilla points. Enjoy!