Preparing Spinach

Young spinach leaves are tender so they can be eaten whole, either raw or cooked. Mature varieties have a tough stalk that needs trimming before the leaves are briefly cooked in just the water that clings to the leaves after washing. A technique that makes a stylish presentation for raw or gently sautéed spinach is the classic chiffonade illustrated here.

1. Fold each spinach leaf lengthwise along the central rib with the rib facing outwards. Tear the rib away from the leaf.

   

2. Stack a few leaves and roll them lengthwise into a cylindrical bundle. Hold the bundle with one hand.

   

3. Cut across the bundle with a chef’s knife, using your knuckles as a guide, to make thin strips.