I Use My Great-Grandmother’s Recipe To Make Spinach My Family Will Actually Eat

I never met my Great Granny Anna Friedmann because she died long before I was born. But I know she was a good cook, and her love of cooking has been passed down.

I discovered one of Great Granny Anna's cooking secrets in my Granny Claire's recipe box, which I inherited after my grandfather died. My great granny had a secret ingredient for better spinach: nutmeg. My Granny included a note, "This was my mother's recipe." It was just regular spinach, cooked with butter, salt, and pepper, but then they both added in nutmeg. 

I know. It sounds weird to use the same spice you use to top eggnog to add some oomph to a green leafy vegetable, but it's actually very delicious. Nutmeg adds a depth of flavor, and the first time I used it, I tried it on fresh spinach from a local farm. My son and my husband couldn't stop raving about it.

How To Cook Spinach With Nutmeg

All I do is sauté fresh spinach in a mixture of butter and olive oil, then I season it with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and just a touch—about one-quarter teaspoon—of nutmeg. It is absolutely sensational and so easy. A pinch of nutmeg in frozen spinach makes it taste surprisingly good. My husband and son eat every bit of greens on their plate when I add nutmeg. 

I also add nutmeg when I'm making creamed spinach (spinach cooked in heavy cream), which is fabulous too. Nutmeg would also be delicious in a spinach quiche or soufflé. I've never tried it on a raw spinach salad, but I might add it to a vinaigrette next time.

I usually use ground nutmeg from the supermarket. I've also grated fresh nutmeg, which is so fresh and fragrant. The best combo is fresh spinach and fresh nutmeg. The nutmeg adds a warm flavor, but if you also add black pepper, it becomes almost piquant. And it's heavily aromatic, in the best way possible. 

I have also used it with other cooked greens—like kale and collard greens—and it works well, but it's especially good with mild spinach, as it adds a little intensity of flavor. 

I add the nutmeg to the spinach when I'm seasoning it with salt and pepper, and it doesn't require any special cooking techniques. Thanks to my Great Granny Anna, there's no other way I make spinach.