Matador is excellent. Taste and texture are very good and this reliable, prolific, all-year variety has been awarded an AGM recognising its excellent garden performance. Sow from March onwards; it is slow to bolt except in summer heat, while later sowings can crop well into winter. Matador has been popular since Victorian times, and varieties don't stick around that long without good reason!
This variety is part of our naturally nurtured range, the seed comes from an organic source
Sow: from March to October. Sow 10–15mm deep in pots or modules for transplanting, or sow in situ.
Grow: plant out at about 15cm spacing. Harvest once the leaves reach a usable size. Matador is slow to bolt, although very hot summer weather can still encourage it. Pick individual leaves carefully as the stems and roots are easily damaged, or pull up the whole plant and replace it with a later transplant.
Eat & Enjoy: as soon as possible after harvesting! Use small leaves raw in salads, or lightly cook or steam whole leaves, slicing them after cooking.
Young leaves can also be frozen. Wash and blanch for 1 minute, drain and plunge into cold water, then drain and squeeze out the excess water. Chop if you wish before freezing. Cook straight from frozen for about 5 minutes in a covered saucepan without adding any extra water, then drain, season and serve.
For something different, try spinach with ginger and sesame seeds, dill and yoghurt, or pine nuts and raisins. Three very different combinations and three more reasons to grow plenty!
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