Spanakorizo - Greek Spinach Rice

• cleaned mature spinach leaves↗3 1⁄2 lbs
• extra virgin olive oil, plus 1/2 cup excellent quality olive oil for serving↗1⁄2 cup
• medium onion, finely diced↗1
• long-grain white rice↗1 1⁄2 cups
• fresh dill and fresh mint leaves
• lemons, juice of↗2
• sea salt↗1 1⁄2 teaspoons
• feta cheese↗7 -8 ounces
• flaked sea salt↗

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Discard spinach stems. Rinse leaves well and spin dry (best) or dry thoroughly with paper towels.

2. 2

   In a 6-8 quart dutch oven, add the regular olive oil and onion and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, 8-10 minutes.

3. 3

   Add part of spinach at a time and cook, stirring often, until each batch is wilted before adding more (cover with lid if needed to speed things up) about 15 minutes total.

4. 4

   Stir rice and 1 cup water into spinach; set lid in place. Cook 15-20 minutes on medium low heat. Lift lid, stir and add 3/4 cup water (or more if needed) so mixture looks juicy. Replace lid and cook until rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

5. 5

   Remove pot from heat and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes.

6. 6

   Stir in dill, mint and lemon juice, then season to taste with sea salt. Crumble feta on top, drizzle with the excellent quality olive oil. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on top and serve.

7. 7

   Bon Appetit!