The cartoon character Popeye, The Sailor, and the French queen Catherine de Medici, though a highly unlikely duo to be compared in the same sentence – given that one is a cartoon character and the other is a fictional character – have a single thing in common. Their spinach obsession!
Thanks to the former, dishes served on top of wilted spinach are known as ‘Florentines,’ reflecting the Italian-born Catherine’s birth in Florence. As an example, consider the riff on Eggs Benedict a la Eggs Florentine. Known for its high iron content and is rich in calcium, fiber, a variety of vitamins, and minerals like vitamins A, C, and K, palak is one of the healthiest foods on the planet. International Spinach Day is celebrated today.
Spanakopita tart:
The tart version of a traditional Greek spanakopita is a signature dish at Balsa, Lower Parel. In this recipe, creamy spinach, potato, and feta mixture are encased in a flaky, delicate phyllo pastry crust that breaks easily with the first bite. The dish is made perfect by a dill cream served alongside.
Pesto and butternut squash ravioli:
The pasta dish from Silver Beach Café is another one that embodies the whole ‘spinach on spinach’ trend. With fresh spinach ravioli stuff with sautéed spinach and homemade ricotta cheese, this iteration is available at the restaurant’s three branches in Bandra, Juhu, and Andheri. Toss the ravioli in a creamy emulsion of basil pesto, butter, and white wine.
Chlorophyll dim sum in red Thai curry:
As outré as its name might seem, this dish at Santé Spa Cuisine at BKC is all about subtle flavors and a jazzed-up presentation. A combination of spinach, bok choy, and celery fills the dim sums, which are vegan and gluten-free. There is a red Thai curry base as well, which is also vegan, and a green scallion chutney is garnished on top.
Tofu edamame salad with spinach:
A refreshing vegan dish served at Zenmai in Santacruz, this Japanese salad has a bright green spinach base and is far from being mere side show. For texture, a silky tofu blob sits on top. A sesame-ponzu sauce, fried garlic, and fried ginger are typical Japanese garnish accouterments as well as unusual ones like zingy ginger jelly and wakame leaves.
Green egg cups:
A muffin-meets-soufflé hybrid, these spinach-redolent oven-baked egg cups from The Bandstand Pantry in Bandra are as healthy as they are light and airy. These keto-friendly breakfast cups are made with egg whites, baby spinach, broccoli, and Hass avocados for the ultimate green overload.
Post Your Comments