Spicy Spinach

There are few foods as frequently maligned as spinach, but ounce for ounce, it's one of the most nutritious foods available.  So what can we do to make it more palatable?  Well, as any Mexican restaurant will tell you, spicy tastes good.  If you have trouble getting yourself or others to eat spinach, you and your mouth will be rewarded with this recipe.

1 t. olive oil
1/2 t. minced garlic
1/2 t. minced shallot (or white onion)
4 cups loosely packed spinach
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 to 1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes (depends on how spicy you like it)
Fresh lemon slices

Begin by heating a skillet (10 or 12 inch) over medium high heat.  When it's hot, add the olive oil and allow it to heat until shimmery.  Plop in the garlic.  Stir constantly for about 30 seconds until it just starts to brown.  Add the shallot and stir for about 15 seconds, turn the heat down to medium, then dump in the spinach.  (I know--it looks like a ton.  Trust me, the spinach will cook down.)  Salt and pepper the spinach.  You'll need to stir the spinach constantly so that the leaves on the bottom don't get cooked faster than the leaves on the top.  When the spinach starts to wilt, add the red pepper.  Now, I like mine just slightly wilted, but some people prefer to cook the holy heck out of the spinach until it looks like a pile of wet, green limpness.  It's up to you.  When the spinach gets to your desired doneness, divvy it out into servings (this would make 2 servings for me because I like me some spinach), and serve with a lemon slice.  The acid really brightens up the flavor.  Enjoy!