The Epicure's Almanac or Diary of Good Living
April 23rd : SPINACH
Few vegetables require more care in their preparation for table than spinach. It should be quite fresh, in the first place, and taken leaf by leaf from the stalks; by this means a peculiar vegetable fibre, resembling hair, and constantly found on spinach beds, will be avoided. Wash the leaves in two or three large panfuls of water, drain through a colander, and then dry them well in a coarse cloth.
Select a good-sized saucepan, put three table-spoonfuls of salt into the water ; as soon as it boils clear away the scum, and then throw in the spinach which, being light, will float on the surface, and will require to be forced into the water with a large fork or spoon. Ten minutes' boiling is enough. Drain off the water, place the spinach between two wooden trenchers, and squeeze out as much water as possible ; then chop it quite fine, after which give it another pressure with the trenchers.
As it is essential to serve it to table quite hot, put it into a stewpan with the juice of a lemon squeezed over it, and half a tea-spoonful of salt. Let it be spread equally on a dish for serving, and divided into portions.