dlc - Posted - 03/01/2011:  18:47:45

My mother-in-law (recovering from a broken hip at 82) lives with us, and she told me today she has a craving for canned spinach. At the store, they had the Popeye brand, Del Monte and Allen's.

I tried Popeye's brand, but no matter how hard I squeezed I couldn't make it pop open the way he does even when he's lying beaten to a pulp with a building collapsed on top of him. Maybe it was my technique, I don't know.

Of the other two, the Del Monte seemed like more of a national brand so I got a can of their chopped best.

My wife was busy with some writing, so I volunteered to cook supper. Never having shared a house with a can of spinach in my life, I asked my MIL how to make it, and she said heat it up in a pot, along with some margarine. Easy enough.

The smell hit me when I first clipped on the can opener, and when it just kinda glopped into the pot the odor got even worse. But I stuck with it, and added a stick of margarine. It never did stop stinking, and, to be honest, it looked like I was cooking fresh horse droppings.

My question is, IS THIS RIGHT?

Is THAT what canned spinach is supposed to be like? I never tasted it because the smell already had my stomach churning so that the very thought forking a bite past my lips made me a little light-headed.

My MIL ate about half of it, and said it was just right. But the dining room still stinks like chopped spinach.

Does it take long for that smell to go away?

Someone help me out. I'm in new territory here.

Micki - Posted - 03/01/2011:  19:01:09

I use side meat in mine, just like the fresh. But cut a lemon into and place somewhere in kitchen, or some baking soda in a cup and either will absorb the odor. Micki

Bell - Posted - 03/01/2011:  19:17:43

Having canned spinach in your house is never right.

Buy a bag of fresh spinach. Heat a non-stick skillet, add a little extra virgin olive oil and chopped garlic. When this is heated (be careful not to burn the garlic) add your spinach. Keep turning the leaves with tongs and "wilt" for about 5 minutes or so. Add salt and pepper as you like.

figmo59 - Posted - 03/01/2011:  19:21:25

all i gots to say is....YUCK!


OR ..WHAT BELL SAID!

BigJohn67 - Posted - 03/01/2011:  19:22:28

I love the stuff. The only time the smell bothers is when the vinegar is too strong.

xomcat - Posted - 03/01/2011:  19:33:49

I was probably in my mid twenty's before I had anything but canned spinach; I never knew what vegetables REALLY tasted like. My mother's recipe for all veggies was:
Boil to an unrecognizable pulp, add lots of salt and butter, remind the children, "You can't leave the table till it's all gone". I seriously was amazed at how all the foods that I hated, coming up, tasted so good raw.

eagleisland - Posted - 03/01/2011:  19:38:25

God bless your MIL!!!!! She's obviously seeking what she considers comfort food, so good on you for providing!

That said... Canned spinach? Yuck. About the only way I'll eat spinach is to make up some garlic butter, put fresh baby spinach in a colander and run it under hot water in the sink until it wilts, shake dry and toss with the garlic butter.

Wouldn't this be better in the Food Forum? Oh, wait, that's right.. there IS no Food Forum.

KE - Posted - 03/01/2011:  19:49:42

You're a good son-in-law!

It's a stretch to consider canned spinach as a food-related subject, but for the excellent suggestions on preparation, consider it [FF] linked.

I like mine as a salad with hot bacon dressing and red onions.

Brian T - Posted - 03/01/2011:  20:19:42

Steam 2 cups of fresh-mowed lawn clippings and puree' with butter + dash of vinegar.

Feed the canned spinach to the developing tadpoles in the aquarium.

You're a hero for even opening the can.

Ev - Posted - 03/02/2011:  05:14:56

My mom used to try to make me eat that stuff. BLEH!
Now, I think fresh baby spinach leaves on a pizza with feta is pretty good. Or a little in a salad.

Ronnie - Posted - 03/02/2011:  05:32:40

If you must eat canned spinach, see if Glory brand is available in your area. Slow cooked with bacon and spices. Not too bad.

bikebum - Posted - 03/02/2011:  05:40:06

Growing up, my mother would foist that putrid sludge off on us at least once a month. It was always a battle with ... Shut up and eat it. It's good for you. Mom didn't really like it either. I think one of the biggest problems was that her favorite brand was always full of grit / dirt /sand. If it didn't crunch, it wasn't the real thing.

agent369 - Posted - 03/02/2011:  06:13:11

Funny! Good for you for providing though. Growing up it was always canned veggies. I was 30 years old before I realized I actually like....LOVE asparagus, just not the canned version. I 'm gonna be an odd ball here...I confess there are times when I "can" eat canned spinach, and not mind. Bring on the vinegar. what can I say...I like vinegar.

farmer bob - Posted - 03/02/2011:  06:23:10

My neighbor has over 100 acres of fresh spinach across the street from me. They harvested last fall and its been overwintering until things warm up and they get another cutting. In the mean time it stinks like heck...Bob.

dat - Posted - 03/02/2011:  06:28:42

I actually like canned spinich, I haven't had a can I didn't like

gshall - Posted - 03/02/2011:  07:21:43

Canned spinach is really handy when you wake up and HAVE to have a florentine omlete. It's also good in ravioli. I like it cold, straight from the can.

John Allison - Posted - 03/02/2011:  07:43:07

I like spinach period (ie canned, in a bag, fresh in the bin). I like it with bacon and slow cooked in the bacon grease. Think I will try the hot bacon dressing described by KE. I also like the creamed spinach as prepared by Boston Market; wish I knew how they fixed it.

Dang ............ just drooled on my keyboard.

KE - Posted - 03/02/2011:  07:48:08

John, here's a recipe to try:

allrecipes.com//Recipe/hot-bac...tail.aspx

And, yes, I too love the Boston Market spinach. I believe it is the cream and cream cheese that does it. Here's a recipe:

cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/490...391.shtml

trapdoor2 - Posted - 03/02/2011:  08:12:28

quote:

---

Originally posted by gshall

Canned spinach is really handy when you wake up and HAVE to have a florentine omlete. It's also good in ravioli. I like it cold, straight from the can.

---

pandjlocke - Posted - 03/02/2011:  09:28:59

Canned spinach?

Bell - Posted - 03/02/2011:  09:49:05

I've had good success using frozen spinach in florentine recipes. Gonna have to try the creamed spinach recipe sometime.

John Allison - Posted - 03/02/2011:  10:01:57

Thanks for the recipes KE

Pig_Eyed_Jackson - Posted - 03/02/2011:  10:03:44

I remember a time when, if you couldn't get it freash, you got it canned.

gshall - Posted - 03/02/2011:  10:30:54

I dearly love fresh spinach; I don't mind canned spinach, but all the frozen spinach I've tried tasted a lot like the plastic bag it came in. Hints or tips on frozen spinach will be appreciated. Yes, that creamed spinach looks wonderful!!!