We have always loved large fresh spinach leaves!
When they're available at the market, we buy them in bunches of four and incorporate them into our weekly menu in various ways. They're delicious served with a pat of butter and a sprinkle of Classique Nº1 , raw in a salad with red onions, crushed into a vibrant green soup, or finely chopped and added to rice just before serving. We're always looking for new ways to cook them.
My favorite vegetable!
Several years ago, I discovered a dish made with fresh spinach on the menu of an Indian restaurant. I rushed to try it after reading the description: Spiced spinach puree topped with cheese cubes. An instant favorite called palak paneer.
What I love most about cooking is experimenting, creating by drawing inspiration from a discovery. I enjoy trying several versions in my own way and tweaking them until they're just right for me, all with complete freedom. Today, I'd like to share with you my recipe for spinach purée with Masala N°12 spice blend, topped with golden cheese seasoned with turmeric and cumin pepper. 
What you need
A drizzle of oil
· 1 pack of paneer cheese, 400g
· The La pincée Ambrée Nº8
· 1 teaspoon of whole cumin seeds
A drizzle of oil
• A small clove of finely chopped garlic
A small piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• One finely chopped French shallot
· 1 medium tomato, diced (about 3/4 cup)
A touch of hot chili paste
· 2 teaspoons of La pincée Masala Nº12
• La pincée Classique Nº1
· 2 large bunches of spinach
· 1/4 cup of plain yogurt or cream
The procedure to follow
Cut the cheese into cubes. In a large skillet, drizzle some oil and heat over high heat. Add the cheese cubes and season with Amber and Classic seasoning to taste. Reduce the heat and brown lightly on all sides. Remove from the heat and stir in the cumin seeds. Set aside.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once simmering, turn off the heat and add the well-washed and trimmed spinach leaves. Blanch for 2 minutes and drain using a colander.
Reserve about 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Purée the spinach with an immersion blender or food processor, adding a little of the cooking water to obtain a smooth, green purée. Season with La pincée Classique Nº1 .
In a large pot, drizzle some oil and sauté the garlic, ginger, and shallot. Add the diced tomato, chili paste, and La pincée Masala Nº12. Add the spinach purée and cook over very low heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Stir in the yogurt and mix well. Transfer the spinach purée to a serving dish and top with the golden paneer cubes. Enjoy with warm naan bread.
I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do with your family. We love it so much that we even cook it while camping or at the cabin with friends. It's easy to prepare in advance and simply needs to be reheated.
Paneer cheese is becoming increasingly easy to find in grocery stores. However, if you can't find it, I don't recommend replacing it with halloumi, which is frankly too salty. Instead, opt for a block of firm tofu cut into cubes, which you can prepare following the same steps in the recipe.
You'll let us know how it goes!
Recipe by Catherine, photos by François
You will need La pincée Classique Nº1 and Masala Nº12
to make this recipe.
