Kem Ormond’s vegetable garden: Grow spinach and make a smoked salmon roulade with it

Baby spinach leaves can be used in a salad. Photo / Pexels / Jacqueline Howell

Kem Ormond is a features writer for NZME community newspapers and The Country. She’s also a keen gardener. This week, she’s championing spinach.

OPINION

Why is it that spinach always seems to find that gap in your teeth, it can be so annoying. You smile at someone, and it is like you have used a green felt-tipped marker on your teeth, or you are the Joker’s sister!

Spinach takes the top prize as one of the healthiest vegetables because of its range of nutrients, vitamins, and benefits.

It contains numerous types of antioxidants that can assist in your overall health.

I am not keen on boiled spinach, even as a child I would try and trade it off to my brother, but I will happily eat it in a salad, or a spinach and feta pie encased in filo pastry, fried up with an egg, tomatoes and mushrooms, in a stir fry or blitzed in a smoothie.

This is a vegetable that you should always have in your garden as it grows just about all year round in most parts of New Zealand, and it is easy to grow and versatile.

It is fast-growing but short-lived and needs to be regularly planted or left to seed.

It takes 6-8 weeks to mature depending on the variety.

Spinach is a green that can be shared with friends and neighbours and if you are overrun with it, and chooks love it.

Growing spinach

I prefer to sow spinach seeds directly in the ground, but you can buy seedlings from your local garden centre or grow your own.

Spinach also does well in a pot if you are limited for space and I have also seen some smaller varieties of spinach growing happily in friend’s hanging baskets.

When I plant , I usually put 2-3 seeds in together, and then I thin them at a later date, using those small leaves in a stir fry or salad.

You need to prepare your soil with some good homemade compost, sheep pellets or blood and bone. I do this well in advance.

Spinach likes a sunny spot to grow successfully, especially in the winter and a little shade, come the height of summer.

Every four weeks, give your spinach a good feed of plant food, (usually liquid seaweed) to maintain good leafy growth. Keep them well watered in summer.

Pick regularly to encourage continued growth by harvesting a few leaves from each plant to extend the growth season.

Collecting seed

I will often let one plant go to seed, usually at the end of summer.

Once the seeds have formed, I will cut off the spike at the base and hang it in my garage where the air can circulate.

I put a brown paper bag over the plant to catch any wandering seeds and then once dried, I strip the seeds off the plant, put them through a sieve and store the seeds in an envelope until the next planting season.

Label well and store in a nice dry drawer.

Protecting spinach from pests

Make sure you are vigilant and stop unwanted insects and diseases from making holes in your plants.

Slugs and snails can be an issue and boy can they eat a lot in a night!

It doesn’t hurt to have a little search now and then for any slugs or snails that have decided your spinach is tops.

While my choice of spinach is the “Perpetual” , Popeye, Bloomsdale, Malabar, Red Stem, Summer Supreme, Winter Queen and Baby Leaf are all excellent value.

This is my go-to recipe if I have to take a plate to impress. It works every time and can be made the night before.

Spinach and smoked salmon roulade

Spinach and salmon roulade. Photo / Kem Ormond

(Makes 12-14 slices)

Ingredients

• Bunch of spinach from your garden (150g) washed, dried, and trimmed, or one bag of baby spinach from the supermarket (150 g)
• Grating of fresh nutmeg
• Salt and pepper
• 6 eggs separated

Optional ingredients

• Lemon zest and juice
• Fresh herbs, chives, dill, tarragon

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

2. Prepare a large slice tin with baking paper (Hint: sprinkle tray with water before placing baking paper).

3. Puree the spinach in a food processor with the seasoning and 6 egg yolks.

4. In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry.

5. Fold a little of the egg white into the spinach mix to loosen it.

6. Add the spinach mixture to the egg whites and fold in well.

7. Place onto the prepared baking tray.

8. Smooth out and bake for 12-15 mins or until set on top and cooked through - do not allow it to dry out too much.

8. Cool slightly then slip out onto a clean tea towel and allow to cool completely.

9. You need to flip the roulade base over so you can remove the paper (gently) and then flip back so the rough side is showing. You are going to spread the filling on the rough side.

Filling

Ingredients

• 200g spreadable cream cheese (You may not use all of this)
• Smoked salmon approx. 50g-100g

Method

1. Cream the cream cheese until smooth and spreadable.
2. Spread onto roulade, use a flat-edged knife and cover it well.
3. Place a row of smoked salmon along the length of the roulade (100g).
4. Roll up like a Swiss roll and chill well before slicing.
5. You can swap salmon for red peppers (soft ones from a jar). Slice thinly if using them.
6. I slice the roulade in half and leave it in the fridge until serving time when I slice it into small serving sizes.