In this weekly series, home cook Bruce Watson works his way through a decades-old family cookbook, adapting the best recipes exclusively for Slashfood.

In my family cookbook, there is a recipe for "Mabel's Spinach Spread," a gelatin-thickened dip that was developed by one of my Aunt Evie's foodie friends. Although the original concoction contains a startling quantity of mayonnaise and a lot of added salt, the basic idea of a molded-gelatin dip was somewhat compelling. Gelatin, after all, is basically a fat-free, sugar-free protein that is, allegedly, great for hair and fingernails. Best of all, it can help a dip to stiffen up without the introduction of cream cheese or some other dense fat.

This recipe combines a basic spinach spread with some Greek flavor notes. The yogurt base is creamy, yet fat free, and the feta greatly reduces the need for added salt. Best of all, the fresh flavors of this dip make it a great, easy-to-prepare snack for long summer afternoons. The recipe after the jump.


Greek-ish Spinach Dip

1 10-ounce package frozen whole-leaf spinach
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup feta, crumbled (see note)
1/2 cup fat-free Greek yogurt (see other note)
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon minced mint

Finely chop frozen spinach. Microwave or heat in a saucepan until ice crystals have melted, but do not allow to cook. Strain juice from the defrosted spinach. Measure out 1/2 cup of juice, bring to a simmer and pour in the gelatin. Mix until gelatin is dissolved and set aside to cool.

While gelatin mix is cooling, combine spinach with feta, yogurt, garlic and mint. Add cooled gelatin mix, and stir until completely combined. Place spinach dip in crock, ramekin or mold, and refrigerate overnight. Either serve in crock or unmold.

To unmold, dip container in very hot water for a few seconds (try not to get any water on the dip!). Run the tip of a knife around the edge of the container, and flip over to unmold. You might need to use a knife to pry out. If you damage the dip, simply cover the mistake with a garnish.

Serve with crackers, pita wedges, or sliced-up fruits and vegetables.

Note: Pre-crumbled feta tends to be dry and a little flavorless. If possible, buy block feta and crumble it yourself.

Other Note: If you can't find Greek yogurt, try draining regular yogurt. Simply pour standard fat-free yogurt into strainer lined with four layers of cheesecloth. Allow to drain overnight, or until the yogurt gets the consistency of sour cream. Do not, however, simply replace Greek yogurt with regular yogurt, as the resulting dip will be too watery.