Instructions: 1 Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil.

2 Remove the stalks from the spinach, and wash the leaves several times to remove the earth. Cook them in the boiling water for 5 minutes.

3 Strain the spinach, pressing it between your hands to get rid of as much water as possible. Put it in a saucepan over a low heat so that the rest of the water evaporates. The spinach will cook down. Stir frequently to prevent it burning. Season.

4 Mix the egg yolk with the cream in a bowl, and pour over the spinach when it is ready. Serve immediately.

Serve the spinach hot. It goes well with roast veal or you can serve it with hard-boiled eggs.

Spinach originated in the Middle-East, probably in Persia. In the Middle Ages, it was sold either fresh or cooked, chopped and pressed into balls, called "espinoches".

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