Vegetables Spinach

spinach
(from Housekeeping in Old Virginia, by Marion Cabell Tyree, 1878)

Ingredients:

spinach​

1 heaping tbsp. butter​

pepper and salt​

3 hard-boiled eggs​

nicely poached eggs​

Instructions:

Pick and soak several hours in cold water. Drain and shake each bunch. Throw in boiling water and boil till tender. Take up with a perforated skimmer. Put in a saucepan with a heaping tablespoonful butter; pepper and salt to taste. Stir in three hard-boiled eggs, chopped up. Let it simmer, stirring frequently. Put in a deep dish and cover with nicely poached eggs, buttered, peppered, and salted. Sea-kale may be prepared by the same recipe. - Mrs. S.T.​

 

[amweiner]

Thanks for sharing this, @Albert Sailhorst....interesting take on spinach, to say the least! Personally, I'll stick with more modern preparations - I imagine it's a green-gray sodden mess after all that boiling and simmering.

 

[Jimklag]

Spinach From "Housekeeping In Old Virginia", By Marion Cabell Tyree, 1877

Pick and soak several hours in cold water. Drain and shake each bunch. Throw in boiling water and boil till tender. Take up with a perforated skimmer. Put in a saucepan with a heaping tablespoonful butter; pepper and salt to taste. Stir in three hard-boiled eggs, chopped up. Let it simmer, stirring frequently. Put in a deep dish and cover with nicely poached eggs, buttered, peppered, and salted. Sea-kale may be prepared by the same recipe.

This might be better if you left out the first boiling of the spinach and start with the frying pan.

 

[donna]

Had spinach last night. But just my way. We always like vinegar on our spinach.

 

[nitrofd]

Spinach From "Housekeeping In Old Virginia", By Marion Cabell Tyree, 1877

Pick and soak several hours in cold water. Drain and shake each bunch. Throw in boiling water and boil till tender. Take up with a perforated skimmer. Put in a saucepan with a heaping tablespoonful butter; pepper and salt to taste. Stir in three hard-boiled eggs, chopped up. Let it simmer, stirring frequently. Put in a deep dish and cover with nicely poached eggs, buttered, peppered, and salted. Sea-kale may be prepared by the same recipe.

Is sea-kale anything like our common day kale?

 

[donna]

Here is Mrs. Lettice Bryan's recipe for Spinach. It is from her book "The Kentucky Housewife", 1839.

After picking the spinach very carefully, wash it in several waters, drain it, throw it in a pot of boiling water, and boil it briskly for a few minutes; when it is tender, take it up, drain and squeeze out the liquor, put it in a sauce-pan, with a lump of butter, some salt and pepper; set it on the coals, and chop and stir it constantly till nearly dry. Serve it warm, and make it smooth.

 

[nitrofd]

Here is Mrs. Lettice Bryan's recipe for Spinach. It is from her book "The Kentucky Housewife", 1839.

After picking the spinach very carefully, wash it in several waters, drain it, throw it in a pot of boiling water, and boil it briskly for a few minutes; when it is tender, take it up, drain and squeeze out the liquor, put it in a sauce-pan, with a lump of butter, some salt and pepper; set it on the coals, and chop and stir it constantly till nearly dry. Serve it warm, and make it smooth.

Sometimes I think they liked to kill food back then instead of eating it.they would be shocked how we eat and waste food today.

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

Thanks for sharing this, @Albert Sailhorst....interesting take on spinach, to say the least! Personally, I'll stick with more modern preparations - I imagine it's a green-gray sodden mess after all that boiling and simmering.

I read in an article recently that many people back in the 19th century thought it was very important for veggies to be very thoroughly cooked. I got the impression they were concerned raw veggies gave you stomach complaints

 

[amweiner]

I read in an article recently that many people back in the 19th century thought it was very important for veggies to be very thoroughly cooked. I got the impression they were concerned raw veggies gave you stomach complaints

How ironic, when 19th century raw veggies were probably so much better than our modern day varieties.

My dad was the main cook in our family, although my mom could cook very well also. Both of them, unfortunately, cooked veggies to an ugly gray color: spinach, asparagus, broccoli, you name it. I was well into my 20s before I realized that veggies can be cooked AND stay vibrant green!

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

How ironic, when 19th century raw veggies were probably so much better than our modern day varieties.

My dad was the main cook in our family, although my mom could cook very well also. Both of them, unfortunately, cooked veggies to an ugly gray color: spinach, asparagus, broccoli, you name it. I was well into my 20s before I realized that veggies can be cooked AND stay vibrant green!

I know! Imagine the amazing flavor of super organic veggies if left to be a vibrant green?! It's a crime really.

My grandmother, bless her, she was good with native dishes (she was from Austria), but she always overcooked veggies, too! From her I got the impression overcooking was the thing to kill germs in not only veggies, but meat, too

 

[amweiner]

I know! Imagine the amazing flavor of super organic veggies if left to be a vibrant green?! It's a crime really.

My grandmother, bless her, she was good with native dishes (she was from Austria), but she always overcooked veggies, too! From her I got the impression overcooking was the thing to kill germs in not only veggies, but meat, too

I hear you on that @Anna Elizabeth Henry!! I think my parents must have been raised the same way as your grandmother!

I wish my parents were still living (for so many reasons), but would love to cook for them and make some of the veggie dishes my family loves: broccoli sauteed with garlic, soy sauce, and balsamic; simple roasted beets; roasted asparagus with a light dressing of vinaigrette and panko; spinach with lemon and garlic; sweet potatoes with brown sugar and pecans...

Okay, now I'm hungry.

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

I hear you on that @Anna Elizabeth Henry!! I think my parents must have been raised the same way as your grandmother!

I wish my parents were still living (for so many reasons), but would love to cook for them and make some of the veggie dishes my family loves: broccoli sauteed with garlic, soy sauce, and balsamic; simple roasted beets; roasted asparagus with a light dressing of vinaigrette and panko; spinach with lemon and garlic; sweet potatoes with brown sugar and pecans...

Okay, now I'm hungry.

I totally understand your sentiments. I do wish my grandparents were still alive as well so I could share all my cooking & baking skills with them. I did manage the baking bit for them for a years before they passed, plus I recently found my grandmother's recipe book (it's in German, so I'm working on figuring out what it says!) and I'd love to be able to use her recipes and impress her with them!

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

Is sea-kale anything like our common day kale?

I don't know....good question!

 

[amweiner]

Here you go, friends!
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/sea-kale/sea-kale-growing.htm

 

[WJC]

Had spinach last night. But just my way. We always like vinegar on our spinach.

Yes! Clean it, throw it in a pan still wet. Let it cook down. Lace it with a little vinegar. Ummmmm....

 

[donna]

Thought bump this thread for National Spinach Day, March 26.

 

[donna]

Bringing up as March 26. national spinach day. Had a spinach casserole this week. It is one of my favorite vegetables.

 

[John Winn]

I don't care for cooked spinach but prefer it for salads. We had some friends over last night and had a spinach salad. I like not only the flavor (less watery than lettuce) but also the texture (more chewy and less crunchy).

 

[donna]

I enjoy spinach salad too.