Nigella Lawsons Baked Spinach Food

CRUNCHY PORK CHOPS WITH GARLICKY SPINACH AND TOMATO SALAD

Steps:

• Trim the thick white fat off the pork chops, cutting carefully around the outside edge. Lay the chops between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and, using a mallet or a rolling pin beat them until the meaty part of the chop is half as thick. You will need to beat around the bone, so turn them over once as you go.
• Beat the egg in a shallow wide bowl with the mustard, oregano, and salt and pepper. On a large plate or platter, combine the breadcrumbs with the Parmesan.
• Press each of the chops into the egg mixture, coating either side. Then dip the eggy chops into the bread crumbs, covering them evenly. Let them lie on a cooling rack to dry slightly while you heat the oil in a large frying pan. When a small cube of bread sizzles if dropped into the oil, then the oil is hot enough. Cook the chops until they are a deep golden color, about 5 to 7 minutes a side (depending on how thin you've managed to get them and how cold they were before going in the oil).
• Meanwhile, quarter the tomatoes and take out the seeds, then cut the shells into strips and dice them. You can take off the skins, too, if you prefer, by steeping the tomatoes first into a bowl of just boiled water for 3 to 5 minutes. Combine the diced tomato, minced or grated garlic, oil, and lemon juice in a bowl, and season well with salt and pepper.
• When the chops are ready, toss the spinach in the tomato mixture until well coated and divide the salad between 2 large plates, putting each chop alongside.

NIGELLA LAWSON'S BAKED SPINACH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, and butter a small ovenproof dish.
• In a wok or wide, heavy pan, warm the olive oil with the garlic clove and cook until the garlic is bronze. Over a low heat stir in the spinach until reduced. Turn up the heat, throw in the wine or vermouth, and toss gently until the spinach has wilted (roughly 30 secs.)
• Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan and ricotta and season to taste, adding a good grating of nutmeg.
• Beat in the eggs, then transfer the eggy spinach to your buttered oven dish. (Remove garlic clove) Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, until set. Let it stand for at least 5 minutes, but no longer than 15 minutes before serving.

BABY SPINACH, AVOCADO, AND PUMPKIN SEED SALAD

Steps:

• Put the spinach leaves and pumpkin seeds into a large salad bowl.
• Halve the avocados and then remove the stones. Spoon out the flesh over the salad leaves and pumpkin seeds.
• Mix the olive oil, lime juice and zest in a small bowl. Add the salt and whisk to emulsify.
• Pour the dressing over the salad, and then gently toss everything together using your hands. Take care not to mush the avocado pieces.

LAMB WITH SPINACH AND GARLICKY TAHINI SAUCE

Steps:

• For the lamb: Put the onion into 1 large shallow dish in which the noisettes will fit into one layer, or divide the onion into 2 medium-to-large freezer bags. Add the oil, lemon zest, and cumin (dividing equally if you are using bags). Give a good stir and then add the lamb. Cover the dish or tie up the bags and leave, turning or squishing respectively at half time, as long as you've got; frankly, though, it should be for at least 10 minutes and preferably not in the refrigerator. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put a non-stick or cast-iron pan on the stove. Remove the noisettes from the marinade; you don't need to wipe then dry, just brush off the bits of onion. Sear each side for 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to a baking pan and then to the preheated oven for 10 minutes. The meat should be right for pink, but not bloody, you may need a bit longer if the meat started off very cold. You will need to check for yourself and when cooked as you want, remove to a warmed plate.
• For the sauce, put the tahini in a bowl and add the garlic and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon, adding the lemon juice as you do; it will seize up here, but don't worry because it will loosen later. Slowly add some water ( I find I can use about 1/2 cup), pouring from the measuring cup so that only a little goes in at a time, and keep stirring. When you have a smooth mixture the consistency of heavy cream, stop adding water. Put into a bowl with a spoon and sprinkle with the additional ground cumin.
• For the spinach: Thaw it in the microwave according to the package's directions and then cook briefly to warm, about 1 minute more. Remove from the microwave and place onto a clean plate. Drizzle with the olive oil and then top with the toasted sesame seeds.
• Serve the lamb noisettes with the spinach and the garlicky tahini on the side.

BAKED SPINACH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Butter a 9 inch glass pie plate.
• Combine the eggs, bread crumbs, cream cheese, salt and nutmeg and stir in spinach, half and half and Cheddar.
• Transfer spinach mixture to pie plate and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until set and puffed slightly.
• Note: I sometimes fry up a few rashers of bacon until crisp, drain and crumble them into the spinach mixture.