Spinach Salad with Moroccan Lemon
Submitted by DanJ4
Moroccan wilted spinach salad with preserved lemon, cilantro, parsley, and a reduced garlic-paprika dressing. A warm North African salad unlike any spinach dish you know.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
15 minREADY
30 minThis Moroccan spinach salad is nothing like a raw spinach bowl. Two pounds of spinach, parsley, cilantro, and celery leaves get wilted together in a hot pan, pressed dry, then dressed with a concentrated garlic-paprika reduction finished with preserved lemon and olive oil.
Wilting the greens first and squeezing out the liquid is the technique that gives this salad its intensity. Raw spinach is mostly water. Cooking it down and pressing it out concentrates the flavor into something much bolder and more complex.
The dressing is built from the spinach’s own cooking liquid, reduced with garlic, paprika, and chili powder until only about a quarter cup remains. That concentrated liquid carries the essence of the greens back into the dressing.
Preserved lemon is the ingredient that makes this distinctly Moroccan. Its salty, fermented citrus flavor is sharper and more complex than fresh lemon, and it transforms a simple spinach salad into something with real depth.
Chef Tips
- Press the wilted greens firmly in the colander. Any leftover water dilutes the dressing you’re about to concentrate.
- Reduce the liquid aggressively. A quarter cup from a full pot is the target. Under-reduced dressing tastes thin and bland.
- This salad improves overnight. Make the components ahead and assemble the next day for deeper, more melded flavors.
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
Trim off spinach roots and remove bruised and yellowed leaves; discard.
Rinse spinach well, drain, and coarsely chop.
In a 5 to 6 quart pan, combine spinach, parsley, cilantro, and celery leaves.
Stir over high heat just until greens are wilted, 3 to 5 minutes.
Pour vegetables into a colander set over a bowl.
Press spinach mixture to remove liquid; place vegetables in a serving bowl.(If made ahead, cover and chill up to a day.)
Return drained spinach liquid to pan; add garlic, paprika, and chili powder.
Boil, uncovered, over high heat until reduced to about ¼ cup, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add oil, preserved lemon, and lemon juice. (If made ahead, cover and chill up to a day.)
Top greens with tomatoes and pour dressing over the vegetables.
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