Asian Spinach and Mushroom

Again, the CSA has inspired more creative cooking. This recipe uses a whole bag of fresh spinach and some left-over fennel. It was delicious paired Asian Baked Tilapia.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil teaspoons oriental sesame oil
• 1 Fennel bulb, cut into strips
  (originally this was red pepper, but we don't touch sweet peppers)
  
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms (a mix would be delicious)
  
• 1 large bag spinach, stems trimmed (about 10 oz)
  
• 6 green onions, cut into thin strips
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tsp dark sesame oil
  

Instructions:

• Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fennel, ginger and garlic and sauté 1 minute.
  
• Add all mushrooms and sauté until brown and tender, adding 2 to 3 tablespoons water if mixture is dry, about 10 minutes.
  
• Add spinach and green onions and stir until spinach wilts, about 2 minutes. Stir in soy sauce and sesame oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  

4 servings
Calories: 108
Fat: 6.1 g
Fiber: 4.5 g

Garbanzos con Espinacas

OK, so this recipe I heard on NPR the other day driving home. Chef Jose Andres was challenged to design a dinner for 4 costing less than $10. His recipe of Moorish-Style Chickpea And Spinach Stew sounded delicious even over the radio-waves. Having the ingredients on-hand, I made it immediately. I didn't cook the garbanzos nearly enough, so I'll have to try again next week.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 9 ounces dried garbanzos (chickpeas)
• Pinch bicarbonate of soda
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and whole
• 1/4 cup Spanish extra-virgin olive oil (I used less)
• 2 ounces white sliced bread, with the crusts removed
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 1 pinch Spanish saffron
• 2 tablespoons Spanish sherry vinegar
• 1/2 pound spinach, washed and cleaned
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and white pepper to taste

Instructions:

• The day before you cook, soak the chickpeas in cold water with a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. The next day, drain and rinse the chickpeas. (Alternatively, use a can of chickpeas... I got a bunch at Harris Teeter for $0.67 each last week. If you use the canned chickpeas, there is no need to cook for hours... just cook until mushy.)
• In a big saucepan, combine the chickpeas with 2 1/2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for two hours, until the chickpeas are tender. Every 10 minutes or so, add 1/2 cup of cold water to slow down the simmering. By the end, the water should have reduced so it is barely covering the chickpeas. Turn off the heat and let sit.
• In a small saute pan over medium to low heat, brown the garlic in 1/4 cup of the olive oil. When the garlic is browned, after about 3 minutes, remove from the pan and set aside.
• Add the bread and brown on both sides, about one minute each side. Remove the bread and set aside.
• Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
• Add the paprika and saffron to the saute pan, and the sherry vinegar immediately afterward to prevent the paprika from burning.
• Smash the reserved garlic and the browned bread to make a very thick paste.
• Bring the chickpeas back to a low boil and add the spinach. Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add the paprika mixture along with the garlic and bread paste, to create a thick, stewy sauce.
• Simmer for another 5 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.

This is excellent served with an egg on top, cooked over-easy so the yolk mixes into the garbanzos!

4 servings
Calories: 414
Fat: 22.6 g
Fiber: 13 g