I came back from our CSA farm with a ton of lettuce, arugula and spinach as well as a quart of strawberries that I picked. Because the greens take up so much room in the refrigerator, I make it a habit of first using those that can be cooked down to a small volume. The spinach was clearly the first candidate since it was rather stemmy, clearly the thinnings from a growing crop.  With scallions from the farmers’ market and a variety of herbs from our pot garden, I made a delicious medley that I tossed into rice and finished with cheese. The key is the variety and volume of herbs. This can also be baked in the oven with the addition of more cheese, especially a melting variety.

Spinach and Herbs with Rice and Cheese

3/4 lb spinach, well washed and torn into pieces

5 scallions, white and pale green sections, sliced

Butter or olive oil

Handful of mixed herbs, chopped: parsley, lovage, dill, tarragon, young thyme and oregano

Cooked rice

Parmesan cheese (or really small pieces of mozzarella)

Wash the spinach well and drain it, leaving some water clinging to the leaves. In a pot large enough to hold the spinach, sauté the scallions in a little butter (or olive oil, though I usually use butter when I’m adding cheese). Add the spinach and cook it down. Drain it if necessary, then add the herbs, stirring to wilt them a little. Stir into cooked rice and add cheese. If you’re using a melting cheese like mozzarella, this can be baked in the oven with great success.

Categories: Farmer's Market, Greens, HerbsTags: Greens, Herbs, Spinach with herbs and cheese