Espinacas A La Catalana Recipe

Soak raisins

Place the golden raisins in a small bowl and pour the orange juice over them. Let sit for 10–15 minutes so they plump and absorb flavor.

Toast pine nuts

While raisins soak, warm a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and toast, stirring constantly, until they are golden and fragrant, about 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a plate to stop cooking.

In the same small skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the drained raisins (reserve the soaking liquid) and gently warm for 1–2 minutes. Stir in the orange zest, cinnamon and sherry vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of the reserved orange-soaking liquid (if any). Cook 30–60 seconds more to combine. Remove from heat and set aside with the toasted pine nuts.

Wash the spinach thoroughly and spin or pat dry. Trim any large stems if present.

Heat a large sauté pan or shallow pot over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil and warm until shimmering.

Add the sliced garlic and sweat gently for 1–1.5 minutes until fragrant and just beginning to color. Do not burn the garlic.

Add the spinach in batches, letting each batch wilt before adding more. Use tongs to toss and continue until all spinach is wilted, about 4–6 minutes total. If the pan looks dry, add a splash (1–2 tbs) of the reserved orange soaking liquid or a little water to help steaming.

Season with 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Remove from heat and transfer wilted spinach to a serving dish, pressing gently to drain excess liquid.

Evenly spoon the warm raisin mixture (raisins, butter, orange and cinnamon) over the wilted spinach.

Scatter the toasted pine nuts over the top. If using toasted sliced almonds instead, use those here.

Drizzle any remaining pan juices from the raisin mixture over the dish. Add a small extra drizzle (about 1 tsp) of olive oil if desired and finish with a squeeze of lemon to brighten (optional).

Serve warm or at room temperature as a side dish. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; reheat gently before serving.