Prep Time: 1.5 hours Cooking Time: 2 hours Total Time: 3.5 hours
Currently in season, spinach is a
versatile, tasty and highly nutritious plant that can be found in numerous
Turkish dishes, from soups to börek.
This comforting homemade spinach and meatball stew is a Naciye Nene speciality.
There are numerous Turkish variations
to this ıspanak dish: many omit the
meatballs and instead use rice. Naciye Nene opts for golden brown nuggets of
meat that are nestled among the lush green leaf all bobbing on a light tomato
sauce.
When shopping for spinach, pick
bunches that have crisp, bright green leaves with no yellowing or bruised
patches, and store in a plastic bag in a cool dry space or the refrigerator for
a maximum of three days. Prepping fresh spinach takes considerable time, but
you can really taste the difference between this and frozen or pre-cut spinach.
 |
| Use fresh spinach with crisp green leaves |
Ingredients –
serves 6:
5-6 bunches of fresh spinach
500g minced beef
1 x medium onion
5 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tbsp tomato purée
Cumin
Salt, pepper
Sides:
Süzme (strained) yogurt
Turkish bread
Preparation:
1. Spinach grows in sandy soil beds and
its hollow stems often retain the soil, so it is vital to wash the leaves carefully
to ensure all the dirt and sand are removed.
2. First wash: chop off the plant
roots, then run your thumb up the groove of each stem, to open them out and
rinse under warm water. Cut each leaf and stem into 3 cm long pieces and place
all in a big bowl of clean water.
3. Gently wash the cut spinach as if
washing clothes, turning the leaves over in the water a few times. Drain the
leaves and put in a large high-sided tepsi
(tray). Wash out any dirt in the big bowl and repeat.
 |
| Chop spinach leaves & stems into 3cm long pieces |
4. Boil water and pour over the cleaned
spinach leaves and stems in the tepsi – enough to cover them - and leave for 4-5
minutes so the leaves can wilt (it also helps kill off the bitter taste from
any mature leaves).
5. Heat the sunflower oil in a large
pan and add in the finely chopped onion. Fry until soft, then add in the tomato
purée. Mix together.
6. Drain the spinach and add into the
pan a large handful at a time. Cook the leaves over a medium-high heat.
7. When the spinach reduces, add cold
water – enough to cover all. Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt.
 |
| Always wash fresh spinach thoroughly to remove all soil/dirt trapped in leaves & stems |
8. Rinse minced beef under water (to
remove any blood), drain and place in a mixing bowl. Season the meat with a
large pinch of salt, pepper and cumin, then knead all like dough, so mince
binds together. Take a pinch of mince into palm of hand and roll into small
meatballs – no more than 2cm in diameter.
9. When all meatballs are done, drop
them into the pan one at a time, starting from the outside edge forming
concentric circles as you work your way into the centre. If there are still
more meatballs to add in, using the back of a wooden spoon, gently push down on
the existing meatballs, then drop in the remaining meatballs over the top. Prod
all protruding meatballs so they are immersed in the tomato stew – even if the
bob back up.
10. Cover and simmer over a low heat for an hour. Check to ensure the
pan does not dry out. Add in half-cup of cold water if so and stir all gently.
11. Serve hot
with lashings of thick, creamy süzme
yogurt and hunks of Turkish bread on the side, and tuck into a delicious,
healthy meal. Afiyet olsun!
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