Be sure not to overcook the spinach. This recipe yields some nice color on the plate. The pepitas (pumpkin seeds) are there to provide a crunchy contrast, but if you don’t want to take the time to clean the seeds or if they are just too few to be worth the effort, use store bought or substitute toasted pine nuts instead. The ingredients list looks long, but half of it is just options you can choose from. This is a fairly simple recipe that can go in many directions with ease.
INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch or bag of spinach, large stems removed, thoroughly cleaned and drained
1 smallish cooking pumpkin such as Winter Luxury, or other winter squash, peeled, seeded and peeled, cut into 1 inch cubes
Seeds from the pumpkin, thoroughly washed, oiled, and salted, roasted until golden in a 425°F oven, or just buy some and roast, or use pine nuts
¼ cup heaping white or yellow onion cut into ¼ inch dice
1 med clove garlic, minced + 1 clove, peeled
1 teaspoon good quality balsamic vinegar
Olive oil as needed
Salt and pepper to taste
Options:
¼ cup cooked thick cut bacon cut into ¼ inch dice added to pan before adding spinach
A few drops of roasted pumpkin seed oil, drizzled onto pumpkin before combining with spinach
3-4 1-inch rosemary tips or 5-6 sage leaves added to pumpkin before roasting
½ teaspoon freshly toasted cumin seeds, powdered and added to pan before adding spinach OR ½ teaspoon fresh thyme minced and added just before the spinach
If using the bacon, switch to a lighter vinegar such as sherry or red wine
METHOD:
Heat the oven to 400°F. While oven heats up, rub the whole garlic clove all over the inside of a non-reactive bowl, pushing hard so you can see a trail of garlic oil left behind. Put the squash into the treated bowl and drizzle it with a generous amount of oil and toss to thoroughly coat the squash, then season with salt and pepper. When the stove is hot, place the squash cubes onto a foiled sheet pan along with the rosemary or sage leaves and roast until golden and tender, gently turning so the pumpkin cooks all over. This should take 10-15 minutes. When done, remove from oven and allow to cool down. Remove the herbs and discard.
While the squash cooks, heat a 10-12 inch sauté sap over medium high heat. Film well with oil and heat until oil is shivering. Add the onion and toss to coat. Cook until onions are translucent. Lower heat to low, allow pan to cool down 2 minutes, then add the garlic and stir in. When garlic is fragrant and softening, add the bacon if using. When hot, add the cumin or thyme and toss to combine. Next add the vinegar and reduce by 75%. Add the spinach and stir. Wilt the spinach, stirring to combine with all the other ingredients in the pan.
Push spinach to the rim of the pan and turn up the heat under the pan to medium-high. Heat the pumpkin through, toss with the spinach, then add half the pepitas or piñons and toss to combine. Turn out the spinach/squash mixture into a serving dish and scatter the rest of the seeds/nuts over the dish. If using pumpkin seed oil apply now.
Serve hot.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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