The best raisins of all are the sweet Malaga muscatel, but any raisin will be fine. Chard can be used instead of the spinach; both cook down considerably. If there are leftovers, use them to fill empanadas, made the easy way using squares of frozen puff pastry or pie dough.
1/4 cup raisins
1 1/4 pounds spinach or Swiss chard, washed, trimmed and chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons minced onion
1/4 cup pine nuts
Salt and pepper
In a small bowl, cover the raisins with hot water and let stand 10 minutes. Drain. Chop the spinach or chard coarsely. Heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the garlic and onion over medium-high heat until onion is wilted. Add the greens, turn heat to high and stir-fry 1 or 2 minutes.
Drain raisins and add them with pine nuts to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Combine well, cover and cook slowly over low heat for a few minutes until the greens are as soft as desired. Serves 4.
-- "Traditional Spanish Cooking" by Janet Mendel
Thursday, August 10, 2000
