Inspiration for seasonal spinach,

Rosie Birkett makes spinach her hero ingredient of the month, with recipes that sing of spring

We can buy bags of ready-washed spinach all year round at the supermarket. There’s nothing wrong with that – I’ve often found myself flinging it into my shopping basket at the end of a hectic day, desperate to get some goodness into my dinner. There is, however, a marked difference between the plastic bags of spinach found on supermarket shelves and the fresh stuff bought in muddy bunches from the greengrocer’s or farmers’ market or, even better, harvested from your own crop. The earthy, mineral, slightly bitter flavour of this leafy green comes through in the just-picked stuff, so try to seek some out now while it’s in season and at its best. I know it’s not an option for everyone, but spinach is one of the easiest greens to grow from seed yourself. It also matures quickly, so is ideal if you only have a small patch or raised bed; you could even try growing a bed of spinach in a large pot. Sow your seeds during spring and summer, water them regularly and you’ll be harvesting greens right through until autumn. I’m a total allotment novice, but spinach is one of the things I’ve found success with (even if I’ve had to share a few leaves with the slugs and birds). Once it’s chopped into a salad or wilted into pasta, you can’t tell if it’s not perfect – and it still tastes infinitely better than supermarket spinach.

I remember vividly my late father’s penchant for the original superfood when

I was a child. My mum was the cook in our house, but my dad had his ‘signature dishes’, which he made time and time again. One of them was a smoked haddock, egg and spinach bake, made in little ramekins, drizzled with cream and topped with a grating of nutmeg. If I was lucky, he’d give me a spoonful, but he wasn’t forthcoming. I could tell from the way he’d close his eyes in ecstasy while savouring it that this was a very special treat for him.

Later, at university, I cooked spinach and paneer curry on repeat, greedily scooping it onto fresh naan bought from the local Indian-run shop (which also happened to sell spinach by the bunch, converting me immediately to the good stuff). While this leafy green is low in calories and packed full of nutrients, its robust, slightly metallic flavour makes it a favourite for pairing with rich, buttery flavours and textures – meaning many of its classic preparations involve a good slosh of cream. The creamed spinach and poached eggs on page 54 is one such dish; it’s a sort of lazy eggs florentine. Tender leaves of young or baby spinach are also perfect for salads, so I’ve paired them with a zingy orange and ginger dressing (page 54). Use blood oranges for this recipe if you can get them; they’ll add an extra burst of colour and sweetness.

I’m a total allotment novice, but spinach is one of the things I’ve found success with