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Spinach with Caramelized Onions, Pine Nuts, and Dried Apricots

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on October 4, 2011

Time

35 minutes

Yield

Serves 6 to 8

Spinach with Caramelized Onions, Pine Nuts, and Dried Apricots

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 large red onion, chopped medium1 teaspoon granulated sugar 2 large cloves garlic, minced2 anchovy fillets, rinsed¼ cup finely chopped dried apricots 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar 3 bags baby spinach (10 ounces each), stemmed, washed thoroughly, and partially dried, with some water left clinging to leavesSalt and ground black pepper ⅓ cup pine nuts, toasted in small dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes

Instructions

  1. Heat oil and butter in large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat until foaming, about 2 minutes. Add onion and sugar; sauté until soft and golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add garlic and anchovies; sauté, mashing anchovies to paste with wooden spoon, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add apricots, vinegar, and spinach; toss to combine with onion mixture. Cover pot, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is tender and wilted but still bright green, 3 to 5 minutes. Off heat, season with salt and pepper; toss in pine nuts.
Spinach with Caramelized Onions, Pine Nuts, and Dried Apricots
Photography by Kritsada Panichgul. Styling by Ashley Moore.

Spinach with Caramelized Onions, Pine Nuts, and Dried Apricots

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

35 minutes

Yield

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large red onion, chopped medium
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed
¼ cup finely chopped dried apricots
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
3 bags baby spinach (10 ounces each), stemmed, washed thoroughly, and partially dried, with some water left clinging to leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
⅓ cup pine nuts, toasted in small dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large red onion, chopped medium
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed
¼ cup finely chopped dried apricots
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
3 bags baby spinach (10 ounces each), stemmed, washed thoroughly, and partially dried, with some water left clinging to leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
⅓ cup pine nuts, toasted in small dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large red onion, chopped medium
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed
¼ cup finely chopped dried apricots
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
3 bags baby spinach (10 ounces each), stemmed, washed thoroughly, and partially dried, with some water left clinging to leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
⅓ cup pine nuts, toasted in small dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes

Why This Recipe Works

We investigated blanching, steaming, microwaving, and wilting when developing a great spinach recipe, and we agreed that wilting was the most straightforward method. To wilt the leaves in our spinach recipe, we placed them, still a little damp from washing, into a pot with a small amount of hot fat over medium-high heat and covered the pot. The water clinging to the leaves was all that was required to cook them, breaking down the huge volume of raw leaves to a manageable quantity of cooked spinach in just three to five minutes.

Instructions

  1. Heat oil and butter in large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat until foaming, about 2 minutes. Add onion and sugar; sauté until soft and golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add garlic and anchovies; sauté, mashing anchovies to paste with wooden spoon, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add apricots, vinegar, and spinach; toss to combine with onion mixture. Cover pot, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is tender and wilted but still bright green, 3 to 5 minutes. Off heat, season with salt and pepper; toss in pine nuts.

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