I am not a big fan of cooked spinach, in fact I really don't like it, raw however I find it very interesting in taste and texture as it is thicker and crunchier than most green leaves. So, I prefer it for salads. And this is a really WOW salad featuring raw spinach, cooked beetroot, walnuts, "Katiki" (a Greek ricotta type creamy cheese I love), and an apricot dressing that is really incredible and goes so ridiculously well with everything I am surprised I haven't seen this pairing more often.
The sauce is the same I use in the eggplant and lentil dish:
"For the sauce, in a pot, soften in some oil:
Onion, 50 gr (1 small pc)
Garlic, 2 gr (1 medium clove)
Ginger, 10 gr (1 tbsp)
De-glaze with
White wine, 40 ml
Then add:
Vegetable Stock, 400 ml
Cinnamon, 1 stick and 1/4 tsp
Apricots, 10 pc, about 530 gr, pitted.
Salt, at least 1/2 tsp initially
Simmer for 20 minutes, and puree with a hand blender."
There was a leftover jar which I was wondering how to use, and this is actually how this salad came to be.
As it is going to be used for a dressing, use the sauce cold. Dilute it by whisking with:
Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil
(for 1 cup sauce, roughly 1 tbsp vinegar, and 2 oil)
In a bowl mix well with:
Spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
and place on a platter. I prefer to serve salads in platters rather than bowls. They look nicer, and the dressing spreads more evenly. Place on top:
Beetroot slices, 0,5 cm thick, cooked (either baked or boiled)
Katiki, or any creamy white cheese, a few small kernels
and scatter on top some:
Walnuts, crashed
Drizzle some more of the dressing on top and indulge in this incredible delight.