Donna van Veghel-Wood graduated from the two year Culinary Arts Programme at George Brown College including three month Italian Culinary Arts programme in Italy. Worked for five and half years at "JK ROM" Restaurant and Catering company with Jamie Kennedy. Started and ran "donna&co." catering company for five years. Presently, owner of "frankie's ristorante" in Uxbridge.
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Splendid Spinach
I went to a restaurant show a couple of weeks ago and besides being disappointed at the lack of fresh foods, I was inundated with pre-packaged, processed foods that I would not eat myself nor feed anyone else.
Until we reached the end of the exhibitors, where tucked away in the far corner, we found the Ontario Farm Fresh Group. Not only was everything fresh and seasonal, but also, quite local for a consumer from Uxbridge.
Now, I have lived in Uxbridge my entire life and am aware of the fine farms around the township, but I haven't always put two and two together - i.e. food that I eat coming from the farms around me. And when you eat locally, you know 'what' you are eating, 'where' it comes from, and 'how' it is fed or grown.
Buying locally makes menu planning easy. For example, if it is spinach season at your local farmers, you feature spinach in your dinners until your ideas run out. And then it is probably asparagus or fiddlehead season.
As a matter of fact, it is baby spinach season right now! A few days ago, a local organic grower came in to tell me that his baby spinach was ready. Spring is here and I am ready to eat fresh. So, bring on the baby spinach and enjoy.
Of course, there is always steamed spinach, but for a side dish with a difference, try:
SAUTEED SPINACH
Wash spinach and do not dry. Pour a tablespoon (or so) of extra virgin olive oil into a sauté or fry pan. Heat, and add one or two cloves of minced garlic and sauté until light tan in colour. (Do not let the garlic become dark or it will be bitter.) Toss the washed spinach into the olive oil/garlic and add salt and pepper. Toss until the spinach is hot and wilted. Serve as a side to any main such as chicken, fish etc.
To the above spinach, add a few dry chili flakes with the minced garlic and proceed as above. Also, to the above spinach, you can add a few chopped olives and/or capers at the end of the cooking time for a Tuscan taste. Serve this Tuscan spinach dish 'on' fish or under ‘grilled chicken breast’ for your next dinner party.
Steamed spinach ( I have just washed the spinach in warmer water to wilt) added to potatoes when you are mashing makes an easy variation to plain mash potatoes. Spinach can be added to risotto in the same manner for spinach risotto.
When making tomato sauce, after sautéeing the onions and garlic, add a few handfuls of spinach for a more colourful and healthy pasta sauce.
SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP
In your slow cooker place a 250g. pkg of cream cheese, two small jars of artichoke hearts, drained, a cup of mayonnaise, approx. a half pound of spinach, a half-cup grated parmesan, and Tabasco, salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low for about three hours. Stir. Then serve with bread or crackers.
I love spinach and that’s good because it is high in iron and calcium. These are just a few ideas to get you started in “Spinach Season in Uxbridge”. Be adventurous and treat yourself and your family to baby spinach.
