Serve spinach

Press, 30 November 1987, Page 12

Serve spinach

Naturally Delicious

By

Anne Doornekamp

Although spinach is freely available and widely used, It isn’t often served in quiche or souffle. The flavour of spinach blends particularly well with egg and cheese, making a spinach souffle or quiche a tasty, elegant yet quickly prepared meal. Spinach souffle To serve four you need: 1 bunch spinach (about 2Hg) 1 tbsp butter 1 small onion or 1 spring onion 2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp flour 3M mil milk black pepper pinch of nutmeg 1 cup grated cheese (cheddar or Vi Par " mesan, Vi Gruyere) 5 eggs Wash the spinach well, remove the stalks and chop roughly. Steam until just wilted (about five minutes). Melt 1 tbsp butter in a frying pan, saute the finely chopped onion for 5 minutes then add the cooked spinach. Stir over a moderate heat for several: minutes to

evaporate the excess moisture from the spinach. In a saucepan, melt 2 tbsp butter, add the flour and cook for a couple of minutes. Using a wire whisk, gradually blend in the milk. Stir over a medium heat until the sauce thickens. Add a dash of pepper, a pinch of nutmeg, the grated cheese, cooked spinach and onion. Remove from heat Separate the eggs. Beat the whites until stiff, then the yolks until thick and lemon coloured. Stir the yolks into the spinach sauce, then lightly fold in the egg whites, Pile into a buttered straight sided casserole. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 180 C (350 F Serve immediately. Spinach Quiche To serve two you need: Pastry 1 cup flour % cup . butter a little water Rub the butter into the flour until completely incorporated. Using a fork,

add a very little cold water, until the pastry holds together. Roll out onto a floured surface.' Place in a buttered pie dish. Put in freezer while oven heats. Bake 15 minutes at 200 C (400 F Filling 1 bunch spinach 1 tbsp butter 1 small onion or 1 sprihg onion 3 eggs 3M mil milk 1 cup grated Cheddar black pepper nutmeg Wash spinach, remove the stalks and chop coarsely. Steam until wilted. Melt the butter in' a frying pan. Saute the finely chopped onion for 5 minutes, add the spinach and cook another 5 minutes to evaporate excess water. Beat the eggs and milk together. Place the spinach in the cooked pastry shell. Add the grated cheese, sprinkle with pepper and nutmeg, then pour the eggs over. Bake for 40 minutes at 180 C (350 F Serve with salad.