Not Popeye's Spinach: Spinach with Currents and Pinenuts

Spinach is a great vegetable. But it's easy to run out of interesting ways to prepare it. This is a recipe I adapted from one found in a Spanish cookbook. Like a lot of my green cooked veggie sides, this one is seasoned with nutmeg. Of course, you can leave the spice out and just stick to regular old ground black pepper, but nutmeg really enhances the earthiness of the spinach. The sweetness of the currents and the buttery taste of the pine nuts balance the bitterness of the spinach. The amount of currents and pinenuts can be increased/decreased to your taste.

Served on top of grilled polenta or a potato pancake, this dish makes a great appetizer or tapas. I'll be posting my favorite polenta recipe in the near future, so keep an eye out.

Not Popeye's Spinach: Sauteed Spinach with Currents and Pinenuts

2 bunches spinach, rinsed twice with stems removed (baby spinach can be used to cut down on prep time -- you probably want to use two boxes or one large box)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup currents (raisins are an acceptable substitute)
1/3 cup pinenuts
nutmeg, salt, pepper -- to taste
1 tbsp salted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
flour

Soak the currents for several hours (1-4) in warm water. Drain and dry slightly. Toss the currents in a few tablespoons of flour, coating well and shaking off excess.

In a hot sautee pan, add butter, oil and pinenuts. Allow to cook for about a minute before adding garlic. Cook for another minute, being careful not to burn garlic. Add currents and spinach, tossing to coat with oil and garlic. Cook until the water from the spinach has evaporated.