Spanakórizo – Spinach Rice
Serves 4
1 kg spinach, washed well ( if you want a really fast version, use ‘Ready Washed’!)
1 medium onion, or 2 leeks, diced
200 ml ‘V8’ juice or tomato juice
180 – 200 gm long grain rice – preferably ‘easy cook’
A small handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 – 3 tabs. chopped dill
150 ml olive oil
Salt
Ground black pepper
In a good sized casserole pan heat a few tablespoonfuls of the olive oil, sauté the chopped onion (or leeks ) until soft and starting to turn golden.
Add the washed spinach and allow to wilt slightly. Add the herbs and mix well; now add the tomato juice,remaining olive oil and seasoning.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and allow to cook for about 15 minutes -it may be necessary to add a little water.
Put the rice in a separate saucepan with plenty of water and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to the boil and allow to cook for 5 minutes. Drain well.
Add the drained rice to the spinach-tomato mixture and allow to simmer for a further 10-15 minutes or until the rice is cooked, stirring occasionally to ensure that the rice doesn’t stick and adding a little water as required.
Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, and plenty of ground black pepper.
The perfect side dish is a good, firm feta cheese and bread.