The article emphasizes that while using frozen vegetables, particularly spinach, is acceptable, it requires an understanding of their cooking properties. Julia Child noted that excess water released during cooking can lead to overcooked, unappetizing outcomes. To counter this, she recommended using small quantities in a pan to allow for better heat distribution and steam release. Proper techniques, including defrosting bricks of frozen spinach slightly before cooking, can enhance the overall quality of the dish, ensuring flavors and textures remain appealing without compromising convenience.
Julia Child explains in her cookbook that when cooking frozen spinach, it's important not to put too much in one pan because, "the liquid will not evaporate quickly enough and the spinach will overcook." If the water in the frozen spinach can't escape the pan as steam, the tender leaves will stew rather than warm through, giving the spinach an unappealing texture, a bitter taste, turning the stuff a dark blackish green.
Frozen spinach has already been cooked during the packaging process. Like many other frozen vegetables, it's ready to eat after just a quick warming up. It's better to allow space to both break up the spinach as it heats up and let that excess water steam off.
Julia Child recommends just defrosting the bricks enough to be able to chop them into smaller pieces to aid a quick heat-up. She either heats the slightly defrosted and separated chunks in a pan without anything else in it, or with melted butter.
Cooking from frozen requires a different approach. Frozen vegetables, like spinach, release water when heated, thus proper cooking techniques are key to avoid undesirable textures and flavors.
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