Mandy’s Spinach Rice
Easy
Mandy’s Spinach Rice I call this Greek rice as it’s largely Greek in ingredients and flavours. Also, it’s something my mother would make, and her side of the family being Greek, it all ties together. Although, I think it would technically be called spanakorizo. This is a very simple side dish to make and changes up plain rice to something with a bit of zing and the bonus of healthy greens. Rice, spinach, leeks, garlic and fresh lemon. Absolutely delicious! However, where I have strayed far from Mediterranean ingredients is the rice that I use. While my mother would always make it with short grain white rice, I’m a sucker for the texture of a sticky rice, so I’ve always made it with basmati rice (as pictured). I know, I apologies to my ancestors! Jokes aside, you could stick to a short grain white rice, tread down murky cuisine cross-pollinating and use basmati, or even do your own thing and use brown or wild rice. Because of the bright zesty notes of lemon and fragrant garlic, this goes very well as a side to fish, lamb or grilled veggies.
PREP IN
15 MIN
COOK IN
18 MIN
SERVE
6-8
Mandy’s Spinach Rice
Easy
PREP IN
15 MIN
COOK IN
18 MIN
SERVE
6-8
Introduction
Mandy’s Spinach Rice I call this Greek rice as it’s largely Greek in ingredients and flavours. Also, it’s something my mother would make, and her side of the family being Greek, it all ties together. Although, I think it would technically be called spanakorizo. This is a very simple side dish to
READ MORE
Ingredients
- 300g short-grain white rice
- 60ml olive oil
- 1 large leek, cleaned & sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 750ml water
- 250g frozen spinach*
- Zest from 1 lemon
- Juice from ½ - 1 lemon
- Salt & black pepper
- * I use frozen spinach as this should be made with large mature leaves which I find is not easy to find like the more popular baby leaf spinach. If you can get mature spinach, use the same weight and shred it before wilting with a kettle of boiling water.
Method
- 1. Put rice into a large sieve and run under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Leave to drain.
- 2. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium low heat. Once hot, add the sliced leek and gently sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the garlic and cook for another 20-30 seconds, stirring as it cooks.
- 3. Add the drained rice and toss well until coated in oil. Increase heat to medium then add the water and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, lower heat to low, place the lid on the pot, and leave to simmer for 15 minutes.
- 4. While the rice is cooking, place frozen spinach in a heat-proof bowl and submerge in a kettle of just-boiled water to thaw. Once thawed, leave to drain in a large sieve. You can help it drain by pressing the spinach with the back of a spoon. Once drained, use a pair of clean kitchen scissors to cut the spinach into smaller pieces.
- 5. Remove pot of rice from heat, still with the lid on, and leave to stand for a further 5-10 minutes to finish steam cooking. Tip: If rice is a bit wet after steaming, you can set it over very low heat with the lid off, tossing occasionally, to help excess water evaporate.
- 6. Add the drained and chopped spinach to the rice, along with the lemon zest. Add juice from half a lemon if you want a subtle citrus flavour, or juice from the whole lemon if you prefer more of a bright zing (I prefer the bright zing!), then season lightly with a bit of salt and pepper.
- 7. Toss well to distribute the spinach through the rice. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- 8. Serve hot.
