#11 Espinaca Recipe

Prep spinach

Wash the baby spinach thoroughly in cold water, spin or pat dry until just dry. Remove any large stems. Place the spinach in a large salad bowl and set aside.

Slice vegetables

Thinly slice the red onion into half-moons to yield about 1/2 cup. Core, seed, and cut the red bell pepper into thin strips or 1/4-inch dice to yield about 1 cup. Add the onion and pepper to the bowl with the spinach.

Toast pine nuts

In a small dry skillet over medium heat, add the pine nuts and toast, stirring constantly, until they are fragrant and lightly golden, about 2–4 minutes. Watch closely to avoid burning. Transfer toasted pine nuts to a plate to cool.

Make dressing

In a small bowl or a jar with a lid, combine the lemon juice (2 tbs), extra-virgin olive oil (3 tbs), minced garlic (1 tsp), ground cumin (1/2 tsp), smoked paprika (1/4 tsp), kosher salt (1 tsp), freshly ground black pepper (1/2 tsp), and honey or agave if using (1 tsp). Whisk or shake vigorously until the dressing is emulsified and slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning — add a little more lemon for acidity, a pinch more salt if needed, or a touch more honey to balance acidity.

Dress and toss

Pour about three-quarters of the dressing over the spinach, onion, and bell pepper in the salad bowl. Gently toss with salad tongs or clean hands until the leaves are evenly coated. Add more dressing to taste if needed.

Finish and serve

Sprinkle the toasted pine nuts over the dressed salad. Give the salad one final gentle toss to distribute the nuts. Transfer to a serving platter or individual plates and serve immediately so the spinach remains crisp.