Spinach and Rice (Spanakorizo)

This dish radiates the classic flavors of Greek cooking in its marriage of rice, spinach, and lemon juice.  Please make sure to use a starchy short grain rice like arborio or the texture will come out wrong.  If you are not vegan we recommend topping individual servings with a little crumbled feta cheese – preferably one made from sheep’s milk.  This recipe was adapted from one presented in Clifford Wright’s 2001 Mediterranean Vegetables.

¼ cup olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup uncooked arborio or other short-grain rice
1½ cups stock
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground mace
1 tablespoon dried spearmint leaves
1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
¼ cup lemon juice
2 pounds spinach washed well and trimmed of large stems
½ cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)

Heat olive oil over medium in a large, heavy pan.  Sauté onion until golden, 10-15 minutes.  Add rice and sauté until it is well coated in oil and has turned chalky – about 2 minutes.  Add water and salt and bring to a simmer.  Lower heat, cover, and simmer until the water is almost absorbed – about 20 minutes.  Add in the black pepper, mace, spearmint, oregano and lemon juice.  Cover with half of the spinach, cover, and cook until wilted.  Stir in the cooked spinach and top with the remaining uncooked spinach.  Cover and cook for 15 minutes.  Mix into the rice mixture, recover the pan, and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the water has been absorbed – about another 30-45 minutes.  Correct seasoning and serve with optional crumbled feta.   

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