Yesterday when I was contemplating what to serve with the fresh catfish Andy had brought home from the grocery store, I decided to go all New Orleans for dinner. But then I thought maybe something green would look nice on our plates. I remembered that I had just a small amount of baby spinach happily residing in our fridge. And wouldn’t it serve nicely as that needed bit of color with the cornmeal coated catfish (yellow) and Cheezy Grits (see recipe below) (also pale yellow) that I planned to serve. But then, how to serve the spinach? I didn’t really have enough spinach to serve as a real side dish. Then I thought, maybe a quick stir fried spinach would look and taste good on top of the grits. So, that’s just what I did. And it worked. Made for tasty eating and a lovely presentation.

I have provided you with the recipe for the grits I served last evening as an example of how this spinach recipe can be used. As for the catfish, it was OK. But once again, a fabulous recipe for oven baked “fried” fish has escaped me. I will probably continue to try producing a delicious and crispy oven fried fish fillet until I can no longer tell the difference between a wooden spoon and a potato peeler. But after all the times I have imagined winning such a daring feat, just to have my good intentions shattered, I still have a thread of hope. And as the old saying goes – hope springs eternal. The problem is that I don’t “spring” any longer. I’m more of a “shuffler” at this point in my life. But ever the optimist, I’m sure there is a perfect recipe for oven fried fish out there just waiting to be discovered. And I’m going to find it and share it with you as soon as possible. (Don’t hold your breath!)

In the meantime, do make wilted spinach. It’s delicious and super easy to prepare. As are the grits.

And as always, peace and love to all.

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

2 big handfuls baby spinach leaves

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, reduce heat a bit and add the olive oil and garlic. Sauté the garlic for about 2 minutes, or until the garlic is golden on both sides.

Add the spinach and stir until the spinach is coated with the oil. When the spinach is just starting to wilt, after about 1 minute, remove from heat and season very lightly with salt and pepper. Serve as a side veggie or over the top of grits, polenta, or any of your favorite grains.

And of course, you can make a double, triple, etc. batch of this spinach. Do remember to use a larger pan, however.  

CHEESY GRITS

1½ c. whole milk  

1 c. water

¾ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp. granulated garlic  

½ c. + 2 T. stone ground corn grits – not instant or quick-cooking grits 

3 T. unsalted butter

1 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese (or half cheddar, half pepper Jack)

Mix the milk, water, salt, black pepper, and granulated garlic in a covered sauce pot. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, gradually whisk in the grits, until there are no clumps. Lower the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 12-20 minutes, (depending on the package instructions), stirring occasionally.

Once the grits seem soft and thick, stir in the butter and grated cheese. Taste, then adjust seasonings as needed.

If the grits are thicker than desired, stir in ¼ – ¾ cup hot water. The grits will continue to thicken as they cool. Serve topped with Wilted Spinach.