2513. CATALAN SPINACH with RAISINS, PINE NUTS and BACON

serves about 4 people


2 strips of thick cut smoked bacon, cut into small pieces (or 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil)
1 pound fresh washed baby spinach (or frozen: thaw & ring out water)
2-3 cloves of garlic, smashed with side of knife, skin removed
½ cup pine nuts (Spanish)
½ cup raisins
pinch of salt (to taste)
pinch of hot pepper flakes (to taste, optional)

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the cut up bacon and occasionally stir. Once the bacon starts browning, add the garlic, smashed without skin, and sauté until turns golden brown. Remove garlic and reserve. At this point, add in the pine nuts and the raisins. Frequently stir. The raisins will magically inflate and the pine nuts will turn golden brown. Add in the spinach in small batches, stirring, allowing any excess liquid to cook off. Repeat. Add salt and pepper flakes to taste. (Spaniards do not use black or white pepper in traditional dishes like this. They say it changes the flavor too much.) If you really like garlic, add the garlic in at this point. Cook with stirring until the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Erin Swing (The Gluten-Free Organic Chemist & Chef), The Sensitive Epicure, Cincinnati, Ohio, October 12, 2011