Perpetual spinach is great to grow in small spaces
I think I already mentioned, that we sadly only have a small balcony in Cape Town. So it’s a little tricky to have an abundant vegetable garden. I have two boxes for herbs such as basil, thyme, parsley, mint and chives. It’s so great to always have fresh herbs readily available. Everything always tastes better with herbs! My other box I keep for perpetual spinach. Perpetual spinach is actually a type of chard. It is such a fantastic crop to grow in small spaces, as not only is it more hardy than spinach, it constantly produces new leaves when you pick it. Just make sure that you give it plenty of water. At some point you will need to replant it though – it usually lasts just under a year. You can plant it from early spring all the way through to late summer.
Butternut and spinach salad is one of the best uses of our crop
We use our spinach or chard, for many different dishes. It is wonderful in vegetarian Indian dishes such as Saag Aloo (potato and spinach), or chickpea and spinach curry. There is nothing I love more than Greek ‘spanakopita’ or spinach pie or even just a simple egg frittata with spinach and caramelised onions. One of the favourite spinach dishes in our house is roast butternut and spinach salad with almond dressing. It is very simple to make, with only a few ingredients, but very satisfying to eat. Quite simply, I blanch the spinach, and top with roasted butternut. I then sprinkle over my delicious sweet and tangy crunchy almond dressing. Note that either spinach or chard can be used.
The great thing about this salad, is that it is substantial enough to be eaten by itself, but also simple enough to be served with other dishes. We love to eat it for lunch with a dollop of hummus, or served in a wrap with hummus. It is also a perfect side for a braai or barbecue, and delicious on a mezes table. Best of all, it is vegetarian and vegan!
Butternut and Spinach Salad with Almond Dressing
Print This
Ingredients
- SALAD:
- 1 medium sized butternut
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- A few sprigs of thyme
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large bunch spinach or chard (approx. 500g)
- DRESSING:
- 50g almonds, skin on
- 60ml olive oil
- 20ml lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. brown sugar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
SALAD:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
- Peel the butternut and cut into half lengthways. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard. Cut the butternut into neat 2cm cubes.
- Place in a roasting tray with the sprigs of thyme. Sprinkle over the olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss through to coat well.
- Place in the oven and roast until the butternut is soft and started caramelise and turn crispy and golden on the outside. Remove from the oven and pick out the sprigs of thyme.
- Put a pot of salted water on to boil.
- Wash the spinach or chard leaves well. To remove the stems, fold each leaf in half, and cut just along the inside of the stem. Store the stems in the fridge and add them to stews or vegetable soups.
- Add the trimmed leaves to the pot and cook for 1-2 minutes, until they are wilted and cooked, but still bright green. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl of ice cold water, to stop the cooking process. Drain and squeeze to remove any excess liquid. Place the cooked leaves on a board and roughly chop them.
DRESSING:
- Very roughly chop the almonds.
- Place the olive oil in heavy-based medium pan.
- Add the almonds and turn to a low-medium heat. Sprinkle over the brown sugar and stir through. Cook until the almonds are just turning a golden brown and the sugar is beginning to caramelise. You don’t want the almonds to be too brown, as they will continue cooking in the hot oil.
- Remove from the heat and transfer to a heat proof bowl or jug. Stir through the lemon juice and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
TO SERVE:
- Spread the spinach out on an attractive platter.
- Pile the butternut on top and drizzle over the toasted almond dressing.
