Big Woods Farm CSA

Serves 3-4

This Chinese dish is great for young, tender spinach.  The recipe is adapted from “Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone” by Deborah Madison.

2 bunches young spinach
Salt
2 ounces bean-thread or cellophane noodles
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1½ TBS peanut oil
½ tsp sugar
2 tsp dark sesame oil

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.  Meanwhile, separate the clumps of spinach, remove the leaves, and trim the root ends (the ‘crowns’) to about 1½ inches in length.  Flush out the roots under running water.  Add salt to the water and blanch the crowns until the colors glow, then scoop them out.  Blanch the leaves until wilted and bright green.  Drain and rinse along with the crowns under cold water.  Gently press out the excess liquid.

Soak the noodles in hot water until softened, about 3 minutes, then drain and snip them into 5-inch lengths.  Simmer the noodles in the stock until tender and silky, 3 to 5 minutes.  They will have absorbed most of the stock.

Warm a wok (or large frypan), then add the peanut oil and heat until almost smoking.  Add the spinach leaves and crowns and stir-fry for 30 seconds.  Add ½ tsp salt and the sugar and continue to stir-fry until the leaves are hot.  Add the noodles and sesame oil, stir a few more times, taste for salt, and serve.