Catalan spinach with pine nuts and raisins

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Catalan spinach with pine nuts and raisins

This traditional Catalan way of preparing spinach is wonderfully quick, easy and tasty.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Side Dish, Tapas/Mezze

Cuisine: Spanish (Catalan)

Servings: or more, depending how used

Calories: 355kcal

Author: Caroline

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Ingredients

10 oz spinach see notes
2 cloves garlic small, or less if large
4 tablespoon raisins both regular and golden raisins/sultanas work
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoon pine nuts

Instructions

If using larger-leaf spinach, rough chop before cooking. If baby spinach, it's fine as it is. Finely dice the garlic. If the raisins are dry, soak in water for a couple minutes as you cook the spinach, but if pretty tender then no need.
Warm most of the olive oil in a medium-large skillet/frying pan over a medium heat. Add the spinach leaves, part at a time, and wilt them down, turning the mixture over so the wilted parts below weigh down the un-wilted spinach on top. Add more as you get more space and keep turning to cook evenly. Remove the wilted spinach from the pan and set aside.
Add the rest of the oil then add the pine nuts and garlic. If the pine nuts are small you can add together, otherwise give them a minute longer than the garlic. Cook for a couple minutes, stirring to turn as best you can, taking care that the pine nuts just gently brown and the garlic becomes fragrant but not really browned. Reduce the heat if needed.
Add the raisins, stir them through and cook briefly then add back the spinach. Mix well so everything is well distributed, and season with a little salt and pepper and if you like, a little extra drizzle oil, then serve.

Notes

One recipe quantity gives two relatively generous side/tapas dishes, enough to top roughly four slices of bread, so can serve more depending how served (a half quantity is shown in the pictures, if that helps with judging amount).

I'd suggest using baby spinach here as it's a little milder, more tender and less bitter, but large-leaf also works. If using large leaf, instead of wilting in the skillet I suggest blanching instead - add the spinach to boiling water, cook a minute at most to wilt then remove and place in ice water to preserve color. Drain well before then moving to next step with pine nuts and garlic. You may need slightly less oil for this method but you do still want a good amount as it adds to the flavor.

Nutrition

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