Seeing Green
A spinach side dish with Spanish soul
Katie Button knows a thing or two about Spanish cuisine. Before opening Cúrate, her tapas bar in Asheville, North Carolina, she worked at Spain's now closed El Bulli. At Curate, Button focuses on transforming exceptional ingredients into delectable small plates that honor traditional Spanish tapas. Exhibit A: this popular spinach side dish from the Catalonia region. Plump raisins, crisp green apples, pine nuts and lemon zest boost the greens' basic appeal, and a spoonful of dry sherry delivers a taste of Spain in every bite.
Espinacas a la Catalana (Catalan Spinach)
Yield: 4 servings
Cook Time:
10 minutes
- INGREDIENTS
1 cup water
¼ cup raisins
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ medium Granny Smith apple, diced
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 pound baby spinach
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (from about half a medium lemon)
Finely grated zest from 1 medium lemon
About The Chef
Katie Button left a PhD program to be a server at José Andrés's Café Atlántico/Minibar in Washington, D.C. She went on to be a server at Ferran Adrià's famous El Bulli before working in the kitchens at Jean Georges in New York and the Bazaar by José Andrés in Los Angeles. After returning to Spain to do a stage at El Bulli, she moved to Asheville, North Carolina, and opened Cúrate in March 2011.
Cúrate, 11 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, NC; 828-239-2946 or curatetapasbar.com
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