Vegetable: Spinach

Recipes:
African Sweet Potato and Spinach Stew
Courgette and Spinach Fritters with Pistou
Deep-fried Mushrooms with Spinach and Bacon
Sausages in a bag with Jerusalem artichokes
Spinach, Mango and Smoked Tofu Salad
Spinach and Ricotta Lasagne
Tomatoes Stuffed with Spinach
Vegetable Tortilla

Type: Leafy vegetable. True spinach (summer and winter varieties), beet spinach (includes chard), perpetual spinach, New Zealand spinach.

Vitamin and mineral content: A good source of vitamins A, B9, C, E, K, calcium, folate, folic acid and iron.

Reputedly good for: Contrary to legend, spinach's greatest quality isn't its iron content. It's a good source of vitamins (see above) and in particular of folic acid, recognised as an important part in foetal development. Its properties are also said to be important for maintaining good eyesight, slowing down memory loss, and acting as an anti-inflammatory.

Availability: Pretty much all year round, thanks to summer and winter varieties, and perpetual leaf varieties, much favoured by growers.

Storage: Best kept in the bottom of the fridge or in a cool cupboard, as is prone to wilt.

Preparation: Once washed, spinach is easy to prepare. When leaves are small, they can be eaten raw in salads. Larger leaves may benefit from having the stalks removed, as they can be a bit tough. Spinach is best cooked quickly in a small amount of water, which helps retain both flavour and nutritional qualities. It reduces enormously in volume once cooked.

Origins: Spinach was originally cultivated in Persia, not reaching Europe until the 12th century. By the 15th century, spinach was firmly part of the northern European diet, appearing in recipes of the court of Richard II. Smooth seeded spinach reached our shores slightly later - its use is first documented in 1551.