Midweek Meals: You don't need to be Popeye to enjoy these spinach recipes

This leafy green is in season, and packed full of protein and fibre - here are five ways to get the best of it

Spinach is a versatile veg - and packed with protein

Sea Spinach and Rosemary Soup

recipe by:Darina Allen

The trick with these green soups is not to add the greens until the last minute, otherwise they will overcook, and the soup will lose its fresh taste and bright green colour.

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 45 mins

Cooking Time

 5 mins

Total Time

 50 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 50g (2oz) butter

• 110g (4oz) onion, peeled and chopped

• 150g (5oz) potatoes, peeled and chopped

• 600ml (1 pint) homemade chicken stock, vegetable stock or water

• 425-600ml (15fl oz - 1 pint) creamy milk (1/4 cream and 3/4 milk)

• salt and freshly ground pepper

• 225-350g (8-12oz) sea spinach or sea beet, destalked and chopped

• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

• To garnish:

• 2 tbsp whipped cream (optional)

• sprig of rosemary or rosemary flowers

Method

1. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. When it foams add the onions and potatoes and turn them until well coated. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover and sweat on a gentle heat for 10 minutes.

2. Add the boiling stock and milk, bring back to the boil and simmer until the potatoes and onions are fully cooked. Add the sea spinach and boil with the lid off for about 4-5 minutes, until the sea spinach is tender. Do not overcook or the soup will lose its fresh green colour. Add the chopped rosemary.

3. Liquidise and taste. Serve in warm bowls garnished with a blob of whipped cream and a sprig of rosemary. If you have a pretty rosemary bush in bloom, sprinkle a few flowers over the top for extra pzazz.

Ricotta rolls with spinach and herbs

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

These veggie rolls are perfect to pack for a picnic or to enjoy with salad as a main meal

Servings

8

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 45 mins

Course

 Side

Ingredients

• dash of olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 220g baby spinach, chopped

• handful of parsley, chopped

• handful of chives, chopped

• 200g Ricotta

• 75g Cheddar, grated

• 40g Parmesan, grated

• 1 egg, lightly beaten and an extra egg yolk

• ½ tsp nutmeg

• ½ tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 sheet of puff pastry, approximately 350g

• handful of sesame seeds

Method

1. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the garlic until it starts to give off an aroma, add the chopped spinach and turn down the heat to low. Place a lid on the pan and allow to simmer for about five minutes, shaking the pan gently every now and then. Season the spinach to taste and set aside to cool.

2. Preheat your oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with parchment.

3. Place the chopped herbs, ricotta, grated cheddar and parmesan into a bowl with the egg, nutmeg and cayenne pepper. Season and then mash with a fork to combine everything completely. Stir the spinach through the mixture. If there is excess juice from the spinach you can discard it.

4. Lay the sheet of pastry onto a lightly floured surface. The sheets are generally square so cut this in half so you have two rectangles. Scoop a line of the filling down one side of each rectangle and roll the pastry into a sausage shape. Press the pastry with a fork to seal it and then place the seal underneath. Cut the sausage into small rolls. Brush the top of each with the egg yolk and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

5. Bake for about 30 minutes until the pastry is golden and the filling is heated through.

Sweet Potato, Chickpea and Spinach Curry

This gorgeous curry with chunks of sweet potato and comforting chickpeas has added sweetness from the mango chutney. There is lots of sauce here, but you could add more veg and some vegetable stock to stretch it further.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 2 hours 0 mins

Total Time

 2 hours 10 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 400g (14oz) tin of chopped tomatoes

• 400ml (14fl oz) tin of reduced-fat coconut milk

• 1 tsp vegetable bouillon powder

• 1 tbsp mango chutney

• 1 tbsp curry powder

• 1 tbsp ground cumin

• 1 tbsp garam masala

• 1 tsp honey

• 4 garlic cloves, crushed

• 3 large, sweet potatoes, cut into small chunks

• 1 onion, sliced

• 1 handful of spinach

• 1 tsp peanut butter

• handful of fresh coriander, chopped

• 400g (14oz) tin of chickpeas, drained

• salt and pepper, to taste

• extra fresh coriander, to garnish

Method

1. Place all the ingredients, except the chickpeas, in the slow cooker, stir and season to taste.

2. Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4-5 hours, then add the chickpeas and cook for another hour.

3. If it's more convenient, you could add the chickpeas from the start, but they might lose some of their texture.

4. Garnish with extra coriander.

Spanakopita: Greek spinach and cheese pie

recipe by:Darina Allen

Spanakopita can also be made in individual snails, but this delicious flaky version comes in a sauté pan. This version is good for a feast. You could halve the recipe if you’re serving smaller numbers.

Servings

15

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 60 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 10 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 50g butter

• 900g leeks, sliced and washed really well 

• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 500g onions, finely chopped 

• 8 spring onions (both white and green parts), finely sliced 

• 900g fresh spinach, weighed after the stalks have been removed, washed really well 

• flaky sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and nutmeg 

• 6 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley 

• 6 tbsp chopped dill 

• 350g feta cheese, crumbled 

• 125g Parmesan, grated 

• 4 organic, free-range eggs, beaten 

• 15g melted butter, for brushing 

• 9 sheets of filo pastry, 30 x 43cm (about one packet) 

• egg wash, made by beating 1 egg with 2–3 tbsp milk 

• Roasting dish 30x23x4cm 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.

2. Melt the butter in the and cook the sliced leeks with 2–3 tablespoons water for 4-5 minutes until tender (older leeks may take slightly longer). Scoop the leeks out of the pan and set aside on a plate while you cook the spinach.

3. Heat the olive oil in the sauté pan, add the finely chopped onion and spring onions, and sweat over a low heat for 3–4 minutes, covered, until soft but not coloured. Increase the heat to medium, add the spinach and toss well to coat it in the oil. Season with salt, freshly ground pepper and nutmeg.

4. Add the chopped parsley and dill, and continue to cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until the spinach has wilted. Turn out the spinach mixture into a colander and set aside to drain and cool Combine the crumbled feta and 100g of the grated Parmesan in a medium bowl and beat in the egg. Add the well-drained spinach and the leeks and season to taste.

5. Brushing each sheet of filo with melted butter as you go, layer up the pastry in the base of the sauté pan so that it comes up the sides of the tin, leaving enough pastry hanging over the sides to fold over and encase the filling.

6. Spread the filling evenly over the pastry and bring up the sides of the filo to encase the filling. Sprinkle the surface with the remaining 25g grated Parmesan. Score the top of the pie into a diamond or square pattern and brush all over with the egg wash.

7. Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes until puffed up and golden.

8. Serve, cut into wedges, while still warm and fluffy. 
   Taken from One Pot Feeds All by Darina Allen. Published by Kyle Books.

Bite-size spinach muffins

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

Baby spinach, fresh herbs and Feta cheese may be a surprising combination, but in these savoury buns, they are a delectable, nourishing snack

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 12 mins

Total Time

 22 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 300g flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp bread soda

• 2 eggs

• 250ml milk

• 90g butter melted

• handful of baby spinach, very finely chopped

• handful of parsley, finely chopped

• 40g Feta, crumbled

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line mini cupcake tins with small cases.

2. Mix the flour, baking powder and soda and sieve it into large bowl.

3. Lightly beat the eggs and the milk and add them to the flour. Mix well with a wooden spoon or on the low speed of a mixer. Add in the melted butter and make sure it is all combined.

4. Stir the the spinach, parsley and Feta.

5. With two small spoons scoop the mixture into the mini cases until they are three quarters full.

6. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden. They are really small so keep an eye on them as each oven is different.