Espinacas a la Catalana

WILTED SPINACH WITH NUTS, RAISINS, AND APPLE

SERVES 4 TO 6 AS A SMALL PLATE

In Catalonia, simply cooked leafy greens are made more exciting with the addition of raisins and pine nuts. Raisins are dried from the region’s grapevines, pine nuts harvested from the forests, and greens grown in the fertile fields. That trio is now a staple of Catalan cuisine. I decided to add a creamy toasted pine-nut puree for richness and sautéed apples for a juicy crunch. Getting a bit of everything in each bite will change the way you look at spinach. Just don’t overcook the greens to make the most of their accompaniments.

¾ cup pine nuts

6 tablespoons blended oil, divided

Kosher salt

¼ cup raisins, preferably Flame raisins

1 lemon, halved

1 small or ½ large sweet-tart apple, preferably Honeycrisp

¼ cup minced shallot

½ cup dry sherry wine

1 pound baby spinach

PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 350°F.

Spread the pine nuts on a half-sheet pan and toast until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely on the pan.

Transfer ½ cup pine nuts to a food processor or blender and add 2 tablespoons oil and a pinch of salt. Puree until smooth, scraping the bowl occasionally. Drizzle half on a serving platter; reserve the remaining for serving.

Squeeze the juice of ½ lemon into a medium bowl. Squeeze 2 teaspoons juice from the other half into a small bowl and reserve the juice and lemon rinds.

Peel, core, and dice the apple and add to the medium bowl with the lemon juice, then add enough cold water to cover. Put the raisins in a small microwave-safe bowl and add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Microwave for 1 minute, then let stand in the hot water until very plumped and tender. Drain the apple and raisins well.

Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the drained raisins and apple and remaining ¼ cup pine nuts. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apple just begins to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until soft, about 1 minute.

Add the sherry, reserved 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to simmer. Add as much spinach as will fit in your pan and toss with tongs as it wilts. As the spinach wilts, keep adding more until all of it has been added. This will take a couple of minutes altogether.

You just want the spinach to wilt, not to cook any further. Quickly toss the spinach with all of the sauce and fruit and pine nuts.

Immediately spoon the spinach mixture on top of the pine-nut puree and top with the remaining reserved pine nut puree. Zest half of the reserved lemon rind on top and serve immediately.