Garlic Sauteed Spinach with Toasted Pine Nuts

by Sarah J. Gim, Posted Dec 3rd 2005 @ 1:02PM

My family can't seem to break away from the same five side dishes for big Holiday dinner gatherings that start with Thanksgiving and end shortly after the New Year. This year, I am trying to slowly wean them off of green bean casserole by introducing other green vegetables to the table.

I tried creamed spinach a few years ago, but it didn't go over very well. You'd think that adding gobs of butter and buckets of cream to a vegetable would make it an easy sell at the table. They said the creamed spinach looked like, well, something not very appetizing.

This year, I was inspired Ina Garten and made garlic sauteed spinach. I even took a risk by adding toasted pine nuts to her recipe.

My family loved it. I think it actually reminded them of the garlic-sauteed pea shoots in Chinese restaurants.

I know we're still a ways from banishing the green bean casserole entirely. I suspect that the green beans will have to share the table with the spinach for a few more meals. But once I add bacon, and its rendered fat in place of olive oil in the spinach...green bean casser-who?

Filed Under: Vegetarian, Ingredients, Methods
Tags: dinner, frying, lunch, nuts, pork, seeds, vegetables

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

12-03-2005 @9:46PM Bruce Dearborn Walker said... I use walnuts, a tsp of Indonesian sambal (roasted garlic chili spread--not too much. Ah, just a little bit more.), and finish with Chinese sesame oil.
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12-05-2005 @1:14PM Finished.Law.School said... I really love spinach. I can't figure out why I hated it as a child...
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12-04-2005 @2:02PM Tana said... Green beans are lovely (and Christmas-y) when served with red bell peppers, basil, and a little lemon (I prefer my lemon in olive oil). Steam until just tender but still brilliant green, then flash saut?ith diced red bells (or yellow or orange, or all three for a stoplight effect) in lemon olive oil with some basil chiffonade. Use only kosher flake salt or sea salt for their distinct grains.
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