You can serve this simple dish very simply, as a side dish to roast lamb (or roast most anything). But some Greeks like to get a little fancier with it—topping it with a dollop of yogurt, or curls of shaved feta, or even a sunny-side-up fried egg. If you choose the latter route, you might consider serving the whole she-bang as a first course.
1/3 cup olive oil
1 medium onion (about 6 ounces), minced
12 ounces fresh spinach, washed and coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped fresh dill leaves
1/2 cup long-grain rice
1 1/4 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1. Place the olive oil in a heavy, medium-large pot over medium heat. Add the minced onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is starting to soften—about 4-5 minutes. Add the spinach and 2/3 cup of the dill. Stir well to coat the greens with the olive oil. Cover, and cook the spinach until volume is considerably reduced, about 3 minutes.
2. Add rice and chicken stock to spinach, stirring well. Season broth to taste with salt. Cover, turn heat to medium-low, and cook for 20 minutes more.
3. After 20 minutes, check to make sure the rice is cooked. If not, cover and cook until the rice is done. When it’s finished, if there’s excess liquid, turn heat to medium-high and boil it away, uncovered, for a few moments. Just before serving, add the remaining 1/3 cup of dill, and the lemon juice. Stir well, check for seasoning, and serve.
