Spinach with pine nuts and currants.

 

• 450g/1lb spinach, with any tough stalks removed
• 25gm/1 oz pine nuts
• 25gm/1 oz currants
• 50gm/2 floz olive oil
• salt and black pepper

Serves 2.

1. Wash the spinach in copious amounts of water, then drain.
2. Put it into a saucepan, with the currants, but without adding any more water, and bring to the boil.  Give the spinach a good prodding to wilt all the leaves and mix in the currants and leave to cook for about 3 mins.
3. Tip spinach into a sieve or colander and press with the back of a spoon to squeeze out excess water.
4. Heat the oil moderately in the same pan as cooked spinach in, then fry the pine nuts until just golden.
5. Add the spinach and currants and stir about until well mixed and heated through.

This recipe can be made with raisins or sultanas instead of currants.  It is surprisingly yum.

And this recipe can be made with Kale and cashew nuts – as I’ve just discovered.  Just as nice.  The kale takes a bit longer to cook than spinach – and the leaves have to be pulled off the tough stalks, so a bit more of a faff to prepare.  The advantage of kale is it has less oxalate acid – and this can cause a problem for some.