Spicy Spinach Stew Food

LEBANESE SPINACH STEW

Steps:

• In a heavy bottomed saute pan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and toast the pine nuts until golden, remove and set aside.
• In the same pan over medium high heat, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and add the ground beef, season with 7 Spice, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until the meat is browned, about 5-7 minutes. Remove and set aside, keep any oil and juices in the pan.
• In the same pan, add the cilantro, garlic and crushed red pepper, cook for about 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the frozen spinach, remaining salt and cook with the cilantro mixture until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the chicken broth or water and bring mixture to a boil. Return the cooked ground beef and pine nuts to the pan. Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes until stew thickens.
• Stir in the lemon juice and serve over traditional Arabic rice pilaf.

GHANAIAN SPINACH STEW WITH SWEET PLANTAINS

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, warm the palm oil over medium heat, and add the onions, garlic, ginger, chile and a couple pinches of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are golden brown and sweet, about 15 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, and cook for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and a few generous pinches of salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer and partly cover the pan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has cooked to a rich tomato-soup consistency, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pulse the egusi or pumpkin seeds in a food processor or blender to a fine powder, until it just starts to get clumpy. (Do not overprocess into a butter.) Remove to a bowl.
• When the tomatoes have reduced, add the shrimp powder (or smoked paprika and fish sauce to taste), and simmer 2 minutes. Stir in water, a tablespoon at a time, to the bowl of egusi powder until it is a loose paste. Add the egusi paste on top of the tomato sauce, and spread it out. Cover the pan, and cook 5 minutes.
• Stir the sauce all together; it will look like a thick porridge. Add a few splashes of water, and increase heat to a boil. Stir in the spinach, until wilted and tender. Taste, season with salt (or more fish sauce, if using) and serve with boiled sweet plantains.

SPICY SAUTéED SPINACH

Steps:

• Heat ghee in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallions, chiles, garlic, and mustard seeds. Cook, stirring often, until garlic begins to brown and mustard seeds pop, about 1 minute. Add spinach to skillet by the handful, allowing it to wilt between additions. Cook, tossing often, until spinach is tender, 5-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

MEDITERRANEAN SPINACH CHICKPEA STEW

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and garlic and cook, tossing regularly, for 3 to 5 minutes or until softened.
• Add the tomatoes, spinach, chickpeas, and chicken broth. Add the parsley and season with a good dash of kosher salt and black pepper. Stir in the spices.
• Bring to a boil of medium-high, then turn the heat down to low and cover partway, leaving part of the top open. Allow the spinach to simmer for 25 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally.
• While the spinach stew is simmering, toast the vermicelli. In a small pan, heat about 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high. Add the vermicelli and continuously stir to toast it evenly. Vermicelli should turn a nice golden brown, but watch carefully not to over-brown or burn. Remove from heat.
• Stir in the toasted vermicelli in the spinach stew and cook for another 10 minutes or until the vermicelli noodles are cooked to tender.
• Remove from the heat and finish with lemon juice and a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

SPICED CHICKEN, SPINACH & SWEET POTATO STEW

Steps:

• Put the sweet potato in a large, deep saucepan over a high heat. Cover with boiling water and boil for 10 mins. Meanwhile, put all the paste ingredients in a food processor and blend until very finely chopped. Set aside until needed.
• Put the spinach in a large colander in the sink and pour the sweet potatoes and their cooking water over it to drain the potatoes and wilt the spinach at the same time. Leave to steam-dry.
• Return the saucepan to the heat (no need to wash it first), then add the oil, followed by the spice paste. Fry the paste for about 5 mins until thickened, then add the chicken. Fry for 8-10 mins until the chicken starts to colour. Pour over the stock, bring to the boil and leave to simmer for 10 mins, stirring occasionally.
• Check the chicken is cooked by cutting into one of the thighs and making sure it's white throughout with no signs of pink. Season with black pepper, then add the sweet potato. Leave to simmer for a further 5 mins. Meanwhile, roughly chop the spinach and add to the stew. At this point you can leave the stew to cool and freeze for up to 3 months, if you like.
• Scatter over the pumpkin seeds and preserved lemons, and serve with warm naan bread on the side.

SPINACH BEEF STEW

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; saute 1 minute longer. Stir in vinegar and wine. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is almost evaporated., Add the tomato sauce, water, peppers, bay leaves, brown sugar, bouillon and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Stir in rice. Reduce the heat; cover and simmer until rice is tender, 15-20 minutes., Discard bay leaves. Add beef and spinach; cook and stir until heated through and spinach is wilted. Serve with sour cream and Parmesan cheese if desired.