Spinach with Raisins and Pine Nuts!
Growing up in Spain in the summers I have always had the fondest memories of the food there, especially the pinoli nuts. When I was young my grandmother would give me a bucket to fill up with pine nuts that I would get by climbing a pine tree and opening the cone and shaking out the pine nuts, as well as snails but that is another story. But these are such wonderful memories and when I came here as a young girl I remember opening a pine cone here only to find it empty, I thought how could this be a country with empty pine cones! But the love of the pinoli nuts is still with me so here you can use them in this delicious and very light and nutritious spinach salad, enjoy it for lunch or as a side at dinner, or you can even go crazy and have it for dinner!
What you will need: serves 4 to 6
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup pine nuts
3 tablespoons olive oil,
plus an extra 1 to 2 teaspoons for the nuts (optional)
1 small onion, chopped
2 pounds spinach, tough stems removed and rinsed
Salt and black pepper to taste
What you need to do:
In a bowl, combine the raisins with hot water to cover and set aside to plump for 30 minutes.
In a small, dry frying pan, toast the pine nuts over medium heat, shaking the pan often, until fragrant and golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour onto a plate to cool. (You could also toast in a 350’F oven for about 8 minutes) or ( you can sautee the pine nuts in a frying pan with 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat until golden and fragrant, transfer to the plate with a slotted spoon to cool)
In a large sauté pan, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the spinach with just the rinsing water clinging to its leaves and cook, turning and stirring constantly with tongs, until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes.
Drain the raisins and add to the pan along with the pine nuts. Stir well and season with salt (very small amount) and pepper.
Transfer to a serving dish and serve warm.
Bon Appetite!!!