Perpetual spinach.

[caroline7758]

I've grown this for the first time this year but I'm not sure what to do with it (I've never grown normal spinach before either). It's looking healthy enough, so a) how do I harvest it (top or side, what size leaves, how often from each plant etc) and b) how do I use it? I picked a few leaves today and they don't seem to have much flavour.

[caroline7758]

[artichoke]

I boil chard/perpetual spinach briefly, chopping it up with scissors as it simmers (especially the stalks), drain thoroughly, and add a scrape of nutmeg, some butter and lemon juice, plus the usual salt and pepper.

There is another thread on use of chard somewhere. On it, I suggested making spanakopita, a delicious mixture of feta cheese, herbs, spinach and egg, wrapped in filo pastry. You can find exact recipes for it on line. I have also made a more English version with shortcrust pastry, ordinary mousetrap, plenty of lightly cooked spinach and herbs, and egg to bind it together.

[artichoke]

PS I normally pick the biggest, cleanest leaves from each plant until I have enough. I don't think there is any rule about it, and I have grown it for more decades than I care to work out. Leave the small central ones to grow on.

When it tries to flower in its second year, keep chopping the flowers off (pick and eat the leaves growing up the tall stem) and you'll probably get more leaves from the base.

It is very good at self seeding if you allow some flowers to develop and ripen. I assemble any stray seedlings into a new patch, and off we go again. It's a wonderful basic bomb proof crop if you can get to like it.

[squeezyjohn]

I love perpetual spinach - and chard even more.  Most spinach-ey things don't have loads of flavour but there is a subtle one.

My favourite way to use them as a side vegetable is to chop it (roll a load of leaves up in to a tight roll and chop off slices to do it fast) - then boil with a lid on in only a little water for about 5 mins.  Once it's cooked - drain most of the water off and add a thingy of butter while it's still hot to melt and then grate nutmeg liberally over the top.  Delicious!

The nutmeg really brings out the nice flavours in the perpetual spinach.  This is great with real spinach and chard too.

EDIT - doh! just saw almost exactly the same recipe from Artichoke above ... great minds and all that!

[tomatoada]

I chop off all the leaves from about a quarter of the row and leave to grow again.  Next time I cut the next quarter and so on.  I have two long rows.   By the time I have got to end the first quarter has grown again.   My neighbour on the next plot picks the biggest leaves from along the row. So there you have it.  What ever works for you.
I love spinach with fish and as a base for a poached egg.   Hope this helps.

[caroline7758]

Thanks, everyone- I tried the small amount I'd cooked last night and nutmeg was definitely a good idea!

[Paulh]

The very young leaves will go in salad.

Use as spinach under poached eggs is very good.

Or stir shredded older leaves into risottos, curries.

Use the stalks as celery in stews, etc.

This / chard (effectively the same thing) is a staple for me, but it has not grown well these last two years.