Fried spinach

[Fromageball]

I had the most amazing dinner the other night, part of it was chicken topped with goat cheese and this fried spinach. The fried spinach is what I am attempting to re-create, it was delicious, it was not breaded or anything, but I've no idea how to make it. I've searched on the topic but found posts that were ~7 years old so I figured it was time for a new one. Has anyone made this before?

[Meekaminniee]

My family does this all the time at home-It's simple. Just heat up the oil hot enough (when you see small spots on the surface) and put the spinach in. Then let it drain on the towels, put some salt and pepper, and that's it! Tried and tested. We do this in the wok.

[DetectDave]

Here ya go:
DAVID SLAY'S ORIGINAL CRISPY FRIED SPINACH

1 pound fresh spinach
1 quart canola or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 pinch salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon (1 to 2 tablespoons)

Quickly rinse spinach several times; drain very well.

Use a large pot, electric fryer or wok; add oil to a depth of 2 to 3
inches, and heat to 400 degrees. Add spinach in batches that fit
comfortably in the pot; submerge and fry about 2 minutes, until
spinach turns very dark green. Remove with a slotted spoon, and
gently lay on paper towels to drain excess oil.

Put spinach in a bowl; toss with Parmesan, salt and lemon juice.
Serve on a napkin folded to fit a plate.

Yield: 2 to 3 servings.

Testers' note: Use a slotted spoon or Chinese strainer to keep the
spinach submerged while frying. Have the lemon, salt and Parmesan
ready before you fry the spinach, then toss and serve immediately.

This is a delicious crispy treat.

[cuccubear]

Wow, that sounds great Dave!
I've heard of this with Sage leaves, but spinach? I need to get out more, cuz I never would have thought of that!

[todao]

Just one important point. When wet spinach (or wet anything else for that matter) comes into contact with hot oil, steam happens immediately. That means the oil bubbles up vigorously - so leave plenty of space for oil expansion, keep your body parts a safe distance from the spattering oil and have a fire extinguisher (you choice of method for controlling grease/oil fires) handy. I'd hate to read something in your next post about your emergency room experience - or worse.

[MarbleFallsParadise]

I don't know if this will get you what you want, but I take frozen chopped spinach, thaw it a bit and squeeze as much moisture as possible out, then add it to hot olive oil in a cast iron skillet and just sautee it unmercifully until it caramelizes and frizzles. I add sea salt and cracked black pepper along the way, and usually a squirt of lemon or lime juice.

It is so good I gorge myself when done..oh the olive-oily fried goodness of it. It makes spinach decadent. But one little box jus disappears into a tiny amount of finished product. After cooking, if you add in some finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes and some crumbled feta, you will pass out from pure dining pleasure.

Gonna have to make this tonight now. Sigh.

[Sam Fujisaka]

Just deep fry--but a few leaves at a time so that they generally don't touch each other in the oil.

[thecountryrose]

I watched Emeril a while back and he put it in his deep fryer. He just dropped the leaves in & fried for a few minutes till they were the crispiness he wanted. He only did a few at a time.

[katecm]

I also assume you mean deep-fried spinach, if you specified that it wasn't breaded. If so, I have had that in restaurants, and my theory is that the baby spinach leaves are laid out flat and frozen, and then thrown, frozen, into deep oil to fry them. It's the only way I can figure that they don't end up as a balled up, raw in the middle mess.

[Fromageball]

interesting. the crispy version is what I'm looking for, so that could be what they do, I really should have asked the restaurant. thanks!

[Scirocco]

Had some recently as an app at a Thai restaurant and loved it. It was supposed to be served with peanuts, but those never showed up. Ours was crispy fried (not sauteed) and it was not breaded.

Am interested too in how it is done.

[speyerer]

Sautéed Spinach
Serves: 2

As served at Legal Seafood, Washington, DC.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons grape seed oil
• 1 pound fresh spinach, washed and spun dry
• 8 grape tomatoes

Method:

1. In a black cast iron skillet at least 12 inches across top, heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and add spinach.
2. Sauté spinach, turning with tongs, covered, stirring occasionally, until wilted but still bright green, about 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, sauté with spinach until heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Serve immediately.

Note: For additional flavor you can add three large garlic cloves or mushrooms sliced thin lengthwise to the pot when you sauté the spinach.

[hill food]

I was thinking of the crispy Indian version at Rasika - did do a search, and the recipes need tweaking.

but yours sounds good too.

[hill food]

try googling palak chaat

it's served at a place here in DC alone as a salad.

[BobB]

Do you mean crispy fried? I sauté spinach in butter all the time, I think the flavor is a bit richer than the usual steaming method, but I've never had it crispy.