Greek Spinach and Rice – Spanakorizo

 

[Photo from the internet, we ate mine]before I remembered to take a pic]

You can do this the traditional way or the easy way – my preferred way when in a rush for a side or accompaniment for a grilled meat or fish dish! This is the easy way so I should call it spanakorizo – sorry.

Ingredients
150 gm chopped frozen spinach thawed*
½ onion chopped 
1-2 spring onions chopped
1 Tbsp EV olive oil plus more for drizzling
½ Tbsp butter
Juice of half lemon (throw in some zest too if you like the tang)
I tsp dry mint or 1 Tbsp of fresh
1 Tbsp chopped dill or 1 tsp dried dill**
1½ cups cooked medium grain rice ***
Salt/Pepper
Serves 2

Method
Pop the spinach in the microwave for 2 mins then squeeze out liquid. Drizzle with a few drops of oil and/or lemon juice.
Sauté the onions with the rest of the olive oil and butter until soft
Add the cooked rice, spinach, dry mint, dill and heat through. Add a little warm stock or water if the mixture is too dry
Serve warm with a squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil or better still butter. You could also add a little cheese (of your choice) but I like as is. Easy peasy and quick!

Chook’s note:  You could cook this in a risotto style if you have the time in which case *wilt fresh spinach in a little lemon juice and oil and then drain. Then add to other ingredients including *** ¼ cup of uncooked rice and ½ cup of water. Cover and simmer adding extra water or stock if needed. Brown rice gives an added depth of flavour.
** I find dill is one of those herbs a little hard to find sometimes and when you do there’s a lot of dill to be used fairly quickly before it spoils.  A favourite dish of ours is turmeric fish which needs a fair whack of dill but not a whole bunch. So I dry the picked-fronds in the microwave (see note) then crumble them, pop them into a small jar and freeze. The taste is good and you always have dill on hand – you only need a little. That small jar sits beside my wee jar of frozen dried kaffir lime leaves in my freezer. 

Forzen dried dill next to kaffir lime leaves (in the back are my bits and pieces,
I don't throw things out. They all get used)

Note on microwave drying: Wash and thoroughly dry the picked herbs – you can do this with any herbs. Place them between sheets of absorbent paper towel and place in microwave on high for 20-30 sec.  They may need 2 or 3 or more goes before they are completely dry and crumbly. Just turn them between blasts.  Once cool you can crumble then and store them however you want.  In the freezer I like little jars because they stay airtight in the damp environment and the lid is easily removed and replaced. But use whatever suits your kitchen and uses. Remember that dried herbs go a lot further than fresh once the water is removed.  Have fun!

Pasta with Artichoke Sauce

 

Don't be fooled, I bought them already prepared!

Ingredients
Serves 2
1 small jar of artichoke hearts, drained
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
½ lemon, grated zest and juice
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2-3 Tbsp olive oil (to personal taste)
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper (I use Szechuan pepper)
Optional: mushroom and spring onion
120 gm bucatini (or spaghetti) or enough for two
Splash of reserved pasta water or hot water

To serve
Chopped parsley
Grated parmesan
Optional: Crispy bacon

Method

* Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta, reserve some of the starchy water.

* Place the drained artichokes, cheese, lemon zest and juice, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in a food processor. Blend until combined *See Notes.

* Season to taste 

* Add a little oil to a pan and gently sauté the onion and mushroom, if using

* Drain the pasta and place it back in the hot pan and immediately pour the artichoke sauce over and toss to combine. Add a few Tbsp of the pasta water to bring it all together. 

Serve sprinkled with more parmesan cheese and parsley – and bacon crumbles if using. Serve immediately! 

Chook’s note: I use artichokes marinated in oil and use just a little of the oil in the sauce.

Try chopping a rasher of bacon and cooking till very crisp. This is totally optional but does add a bit more texture and flavour.   

*Note: The sauce can be blended until creamy or, as I prefer, left a wee bit chunky. All a matter of personal preference. 

I use pasta that I usually have already cooked and in the freezer. It’s such an easy option and the good thing is that the starch in pre-cooked cooled pasta is converted into ‘resistant starch’ which increases the food's fibre-like properties, resulting in a lower glycemic response, better gut health, fewer absorbed calories AND it saves time.

This is one of those go to recipes for a lazy night. Just keep a tub of precooked pasta in the freezer along with lemon zest and juice which I normally do. And a block of parmesan cheese in the fridge which I do because it’s my goto cheese for all manner of things. Oh and a jar of artichokes. As a substitute if you don’t have artichokes, you could substitute Chinese broccoli or some other vege. And you have a meal ready to go.

The sauce can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days before using and I daresay it would breeze perfectly well.

You can thank me later!