Wilted Spinach (Espinacas)

This dish always brings back memories of the wild greens that we gathered to cook on the ranch. We called them quelites, a name applied in Mexico to various sorts of leafy green plants. Our quelites always grew around water holes and were a little like young dandelion greens, a little like kale, but not really like either. This was one of our favorite ways of preparing them. Nowadays I often use oil for the sauteing, but on the ranch we always used bacon grease. Eliminate it and you have another naturally light and easy Mexican vegetable dish.

Mother used to make quelites with cooked beans, and that was delicious too.  If you want to try spinach in this way, add l cup of cooked beans to hot oil  and cook to heat through over medium-high heat before adding spinach and sauteing, stirring constantly, just until wilted.

2 – 3  tablespoons bacon grease or vegetable or olive oil  oil

l  medium-sized tomato, chopped

3 scallions, finely chopped

l  garlic clove, minced

l   jalapeno chile  or more to taste, seeded if desired,  finely chopped

2  tablespoons chopped cilantro (l – 2 large sprigs)

1 cup cooked black or pinto beans, drained

10 ounces fresh spinach, kale or other greens, well-rinsed, woody stems trimmed

Salt to taste

In large wide skillet, heat bacon grease or oil over high heat until a drop of water sputters on contact. Add chopped tomato, scallions, garlic, and jalapeno. Saute rapidly for about 30 seconds. Add spinach in large handfuls,stirring to distribute. Cook spinach, uncovered, just until wilted; add salt totaste and serve at once.