If there’s anything that excites the jaded palate of a veteran gourmand more than a fine version of a fancy dish, it’s the discovery of a hitherto unknown combination of a few simple ingredients. I remember the thrill I felt a few years ago when I learned that the deeply flavored dipping sauce served with the fried calamari at was made with just two ingredients: soy sauce and dried mustard.
Last week, I tasted a simple combination of ingredients that works so well it should be regarded as a classic: spinach and cabbage with Parmesan. My wife and I tasted this side dish at , which is our favorite late Sunday dinner spot.
Given my credentials, I probably shouldn’t like, or shouldn’t admit to liking, Cherry Creek Grill. It represents a lot of my bête noires: It’s part of a chain, there is a set of ESPN-tuned TVs above the bar that are unfortunately visible from every table, and the menu features huge slabs of grilled and spit-roasted meats.
But the food is always flavorful and as consistent as any restaurant, and the vegetable sides are always inventive and delicious — skin-on slices of roasted acorn squash with honey and pistachios, red cabbage with goat cheese, and this week’s recipe — spinach with cabbage and Parmesan.
There’s a lot of good over-wintered spinach in the local markets right now. I hate raw spinach, and the cabbage in the recipe adds a little texture to the tender, cooked spinach. My addition to the recipe is to add freshly grated nutmeg, which always improves the taste of spinach, and a touch of chile flakes.
Sautéed Spinach with Cabbage recipe
Serves 4-6 as a side dish.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 cup green cabbage, sliced ½-inch thick
SaltAbout 8 ounces large spinach, washed, stemmed and dried
¼ cup water
¼ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Pinch chile flakes
Few gratings fresh nutmegBlack pepper
Directions
In a Dutch oven or wok, heat the olive oil over low- medium heat. Add the garlic and stir. Cook 1 minute, without coloring. Add the cabbage and a pinch of salt. Stew 2-3 minutes until slightly wilted. Add the spinach and coat well in the oil, about 1 minute. Add the water and stew the mixture another 2-3 minutes.
Season with the cheese, chile flakes, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Serve as a side with salmon or grilled meat.
