Vegetarian Spinach Patties with Tomatillo Sauce
Served with a warm tomatillo green sauce, these spinach patties (tortas de espinaca) can be made with fresh or frozen spinach. Recipe can easily be doubled. Makes about 6 patties--figure 2 per person.
Servings: 3 servings.
Calories: 350kcal
Ingredients
Spinach patties:
- 3 bunches spinach (10 ounces) or 3 packages frozen chopped spinach
- ¼ cup finely chopped white onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ cup chopped cilantro leaves
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Finely ground corn chips, about 1/2 cup, as needed, (see note)
- 1 ounce white cheddar cheese, optional cut in cubes about the size of the tip of your pinkie finger
- Olive oil, as needed
Tomatillo Sauce:
- 6 large fresh tomatillos, or one small can
- 1 or 2 serrano chiles, seeds and veins removed, coarsely chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt, to taste
- ¼ cup vegetable broth or as needed
- Olive oil as needed
Instructions
To make the spinach patties:
- ** Fresh spinach: Wash well and remove and discard stems. Steam the spinach leaves about 5 minutes. Allow to drain in a colander or sieve, pressing very well to remove as much excess water as possible. Coarsely chop the spinach. You should have a about 3/4 cup.
- ** Frozen spinach: Thaw the spinach. Put in a sieve and press very well to remove as much excess water as possible. You should have a about 3/4 cup spinach.
- In a bowl, mix the pressed spinach with the chopped onion, garlic and cilantro. (see note) Using a fork, stir in the egg and corn chip crumbs or breadcrumbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the mixture doesn't hold together, mix in another tablespoon of the ground corn chips.
- Divide the spinach mixture in 1/4 cup measures. In the palm of your hand, shape the mixture into small round patties, forming them about 2 ½ inches wide and about 1/2 inch thick. If you wish, poke a couple of little pieces of the cheese in the middle so they're hidden inside the patties. (It may feel like the patties won’t hold together, especially if there is still a lot of moisture in the spinach. Handle them gently and they will cook nicely all in one piece.)
- Over medium flame, heat a thin layer of the oil in a large skillet. Gently cook the patties, turning to cook both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from the heat and keep warm while you prepare the sauce.
To make the Tomatillo Sauce:
- Drop the fresh tomatillos into boiling water and cook for several minutes, until just soft. Or use canned tomatillos. Place the tomatillos, serrano chile(s), onion, garlic and salt in a blender and whirl. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in another skillet and add the tomatillo mixture. Cook and stir for 3 or 4 minutes. Stir in vegetable broth, just enough to thin the sauce. Season to taste with salt. Pour a generous ladle on top of the spinach tortas.
Notes
- If you wish, sauté the chopped onion in a little olive oil before adding to the spinach.
- I used blender-ground corn tortilla chips in place of the breadcrumbs that Carmen uses to absorb moisture and help hold the patties together. You could also use cornmeal or flour.
Nutrition
Serving: 2g | Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 822mg | Potassium: 2204mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 32318IU | Vitamin C: 109mg | Calcium: 381mg | Iron: 10mg