Spinach

Wash it, shake off the water and cook it in a wide pan over a medium-high heat. Add the leaves in batches; they wilt in about 2–3 minutes, and you can drain off any liquid before seasoning.

Yes. Wash the leaves well and use them in salads, sandwiches or smoothies; baby spinach is especially tender, while larger leaves can be sliced into ribbons.

Swish the leaves in a large bowl of cold water, lift them out so grit stays behind, then repeat with fresh water if needed. Dry them in a salad spinner or pat them gently with a clean tea towel.

Keep it unwashed in the fridge in a loosely closed bag or container, with a dry piece of kitchen paper to absorb moisture. Wash it just before use and remove any slimy leaves.

For cooked dishes, wash the leaves, blanch them in boiling water for about 2 minutes, cool them quickly in cold water, then squeeze out as much water as you can before freezing in portions. You can also freeze washed raw leaves, though they are best used later in soups, sauces or stews.

Spinach works well in saag paneer, spanakopita, palak paneer and spinach-and-ricotta pasta. Stir it into dal, soup or a curry near the end so it wilts without turning to mush.

For cooked dishes, chard or finely sliced kale can stand in for spinach; allow a few extra minutes for their thicker leaves to soften. For salads, rocket gives a peppery bite, while tender lettuce is milder.

Both are useful choices, but frozen spinach has more protein and fibre per 100 g in the supplied comparison: 4.01 g and 3.7 g, versus 2.4 g and 2.1 g in spinach. Frozen spinach is also already wilted, so squeeze out excess water before adding it to a filling or sauce.