Some years ago my wife and I dined at the fine restaurant Campagnola in Evanston with a dear friend of ours. We were served a spinach dish which impressed me tremendously both with its taste and its straightforwardness. Here’s my recreation of the dish we were served that memorable evening.
Spinach Campagnola
9 oz. baby spinach, washed and drained
½ medium onion, peeled and diced
1 clove garlic, crushed and minced (optional)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 medium plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped
Pinch oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
- Steam the spinach (covered) in ¼ cup boiling water in a medium saucepan for 8 minutes. Remove to a strainer and allow the water to strain out. Press with a serving spoon to get more water out.
- Saute the onion in the olive oil over medium heat until it just begins to brown.
- Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes and oregano and saute for about 5 minutes.
- Add the balsamic vinegar and spinach, cover, reduce heat, and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes.
- It’s ready to serve!
I made this with the last of my summer tomatoes last weekend and it was incredible.
