I tasted this simple bleeding of two green vegetables at Irene Weil’s home in Nice (see page 170). Always a big hit, it is colorful, delicious, and a perfect vegetable dish, particularly for Passover. “You can make this dish with fresh peas, green asparagus tips, fava beans—the list is endless,” said Irene.

　　

Ingredients

6 to 8 servings

　　1 1/4 pounds or 3 bags fresh baby spinach

　　3 tablespoons olive oil

　　3 cloves garlic, minced

　　Sea salt to taste

　　2 zucchini

　　1/4 cup pine nuts

　　4 teaspoons dried mint, or 4 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

　　

Step 1

Wash the spinach well, and leave some water on the leaves. Put in a pot, heat, and stir until the spinach is just wilted, or “tombé.” Then add 1 tablespoon of the oil and the garlic, heat, and stir. You may have to work in batches. Sprinkle with sea salt, and heap everything, liquid included, together in a casserole and keep warm.

　　

Step 2

Slice the zucchini in rounds, heat the frying pan with a little oil, and sauté for a few minutes. When soft, mash.

　　

Step 3

Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat for a few minutes, or until golden.

　　

Step 4

Drain some of the liquid from the spinach, transfer the spinach to a serving platter, top with the zucchini pieces, and sprinkle with the pine nuts and the mint.

　　Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous