Spinach

Spinach is a leafy green vegetable rich in potassium, iron, riboflavin, vitamin A, and vitamin C. Its dark-green leaves may be small and rounded or large and pointed with a smooth or crinkled texture.

All the different varieties of leaves have a slightly bitter flavour and may be used in a wide variety of cooked dishes. Spinach may be simply cooked and served with butter, added to a mornay sauce, used for pasta sauces, stuffings and fillings or sprinkled onto pizzas. Any dish that includes a high proportion of spinach is usually known by the title 'Florentine', such as eggs Florentine - eggs arranged on a bed of cooked spinach coated in cream or mornay sauce. In France, these dishes are given the name à la Florentine, whilst in Italy, they are known as alla Fiorentina.

Baby leaf spinach can also be eaten raw to make delicious warm or cold salads, dressed in olive oil or a garlic-laden vinaigrette. The soft, round leaves work particularly well with hard-boiled eggs, crisply fried bacon and grilled cheese.