SAUTEED BABY SPINACH (for four)

Using baby spinach is a real time-saver for these recipes, but if you can’t find baby spinach, regular spinach may be substituted.  Just remember, regular spinach is notoriously sandy.  You must rinse the spinach in several changes of cold water to make sure all traces of grit are removed.  Also, the stems of regular spinach are often woody and tasteless, so they should be torn off and discarded.  Tear the leaves into bite-size pieces and proceed with the recipe as directed.  The cooking time may have to be increased by a few minutes.

½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter

2 pounds baby spinach, washed well under cold running water and spun dry

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

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1.  Heat butter in a large, heavy skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides.  Add spinach and cook, stirring, until just wilted and bright green, 2 to 3 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook