Pour ceux qui n’aiment pas les épinards – Galettes d’epinards, champignons et feta saumon fumé et sauce au yaourt, ciboulette

galettesepinardsaumonweb

I know spinach is not the most popular vegetable among many French people. Maybe the way it’s prepared in France has left them with a bad childhood memory, many kids just hate “epinards a la crème” which is basically spinach with cream. I can understand how the consistency and color are not very appealing to a kid, or even to an adult as a matter of fact.

The little challenge was to make something with spinach that any spinach-hater would love and ask for more. When people tell me I don’t like a particular vegetable, like cauliflower, carrots, cabbage, I just challenge myself to prepare something with whatever item they don’t like, because I think there might always be a way to make them change their mind…

…and as we say in France il n’y a que les imbeciles qui ne changent pas d’avis which translates into only idiots never change their mind.

For 2 people, about 6-7 pancakes:

  • 1/2 lb frozen or fresh spinach
  • 1/2 shallot
  • about 8 large cremini mushrooms
  • 2 1/2 tbs crumbled Feta
  • 1 Egg
  • 3 tbs flour
  • 1/2 tsp Baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp Thyme
  • one pinch chili pepper

for the yogurt sauce:

  • Plain yogurt (I like to use the Straus) either low fat, non-fat or regular
  • 2 tsp Chopped chives
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

Cook the spinach in water for 5 minutes. Drain well, using your hands, squeeze all the water out. Chop them. If you are using frozen spinach, defrost in microwave. When spinach are cooked, set aside (always squeezing the extra water). Heat olive oil in a pan and add the shallot, brown for about 3 minutes, then add the sliced mushrooms, cook until the water has evaporated.

In a mixing bowl, add the spinach and the mushrooms. Take another mixing bowl, add the eggs and flour. Mix well so that it becomes a thick mixture, add salt and pepper, then add to the spinach-mushroom bowl. Add feta, chili and thyme. Mix well.

In a non-stick pan add a little olive oil and using a tablespoon make little pancakes. When both sides are cooked, set aside. Keep warm.

For the yogurt sauce, mix all the ingredients.

For dressing the plate, put some salad at the bottom, then place 2 or 3 pancakes, top with stripes of salmon and at the end, spoon one tsp of yogurt sauce