Baby spinach is easy to find—either loose at farmers’ markets or prewashed and bagged at supermarkets. If possible, get the curly-leaf (crinkled) type, as it doesn’t shrink as much during cooking as the flat-leaf variety does.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　Vegetable or light olive oil, for frying

　　All-purpose flour, for dredging

　　Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

　　1 large shallot, cut crosswise into rings and separated (about 1/3 cup)

　　2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　1 pound baby spinach

　　

Step 1

Heat 1/2 inch vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, put the flour in a bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Dredge the shallot rings in the flour all at once. When the oil is hot (a shallot ring will sizzle on contact), fry the rings in batches, shaking off excess flour before transferring them to the skillet. Fry until golden brown and crisp, 1 to 3 minutes. Transfer the shallot rings with tongs or a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

　　

Step 2

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven or shallow stockpot over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the spinach (if it doesn’t fit all at once, wait to add more until some of it cooks down, or cook in two batches). Season with salt and pepper. Cover; cook, uncovering occasionally to toss, until the spinach is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Transfer the spinach to a serving bowl with tongs or a slotted spoon, leaving any excess liquid in pot. Sprinkle with the shallot rings; serve immediately.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group.Buy the full book from Amazon.