Instructions: To make 3 cups of cooked spinach, you need 3 pounds of fresh spinach and 2 tablespoons of Kosher salt.

Snip the stems from the tender leaves of the spinach; for more mature leaves, fold the leaves vertically along the stem, and with one hand, pull away the stem, including that portion attached to the leafs underside.

Discard all wilting, rotting, or yellow leaves.

Wash the spinach thoroughly by swishing it around in several changes of cold water until all sand is washed away.

Bring about 8 quarts of water (with the salt) to a boil in a deep pot. Drop the spinach leaves in the rapidly boiling water. When the water comes to a boil again, reduce the heat to medium and let the spinach boil, uncovered for 5 minutes.

Note: you can substitute 3 10-ounce packages of frozen leaf spinach for the above; defrost thoroughly, separate the leaves, cut off and discard the stems, then cook for only 3 minutes in boiling water as above.

Pour the entire contents of the pot immediately into a colander or a sieve held firmly over the kitchen sink. Let cold water run through for a minute to refresh the spinach - this will preserve its bright green color and also prevent any further cooking. Do not overcook!

Squeeze as much water out of the spinach as possible by pressing it with the back of a spoon, or use your hand.

Place the spinach on a chopping board, and chop it as coarse or as fine as called for in a recipe.

The chopped spinach may be kept covered for several hours, or refrigerated for up to one day, or frozen. (Defrost thoroughly before using it in any recipe.)

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