WILTED SPINACH WITH RICE

At a Greek Orthodox monastery in Kalamata, the nuns created a lunch for hungry food writers that included wild greens with rice and beans, cheeses, olives and other vegetarian dishes. This is my version of their spanakorizo, a popular Lenten dish.

2 pounds fresh spinach (or a mixture of spinach and mixed bitter greens like dandelion, mustard and sorrel)

1/2 cup extra virgin Greek olive oil

2 onions, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup basmati or other long grain rice

1 cup water or vegetable broth

1/4 cup minced dill or fennel fronds

juice of 1 lemon

salt and freshly ground black pepper

pinch of crushed red chili peppers

Wash the spinach well and remove any tough stems. Shred the spinach and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy, deep pot and cook the onions over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer, being careful not to burn the garlic.

Add the rice and stir to coat with oil. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the spinach and stir to combine. When the spinach is starting to wilt and cook down, add the water and half of the dill or fennel. Cover and steam until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes, adding a little more water if necessary.  Stir in the lemon juice, remaining dill or fennel, and season with salt, pepper and crushed chilies to taste. Drizzle with a little more olive oil before serving, and garnish with lemon slices, olives and crumbled feta, if desired. Serves 4-6.

BAKED GIGANTES

I ordered a dish of these huge white beans in a taverna on my first night in Athens but they were especially delicious when Vaso Klampatseas baked them for us in her home in the little village of Saidona. Look for gigantes, beans as big as your thumb, in Greek groceries – they have a creamy texture and don’t fall apart during cooking.

1 1/4 pounds large gigante beans or extra large dried lima or butter beans

1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

2/3 cup extra virgin Greek olive oil

2 large onions, chopped

2 stalks celery, minced

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 28-oz. can tomatoes, whirled in the blender to puree

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon honey

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Soak the beans overnight. Drain and rinse.

Place the beans in a saucepan and cover with plenty of cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until barely tender but still firm. Drain and toss with fresh parsley and dill. Arrange in a shallow baking dish.

Heat olive oil in a skillet and saute onions, celery, carrots and garlic over medium heart for 10 minutes.  Stir in the pureed tomatoes and oregano and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the honey and season with salt and pepper.

Pour the vegetable sauce over the beans and stir gently to combine. Bake at 325F for 1 hour, until beans are glazed with sauce and tender. Serves 6.

ARTICHOKES AND POTATOES BRAISED IN OLIVE OIL

Artichokes appear in the spring in Greece. If fresh artichokes aren’t available, use frozen artichoke hearts.

2 cups cold water

1 lemon, halved

12 artichokes, cleaned

1/3 cup Greek olive oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

3 green onions, chopped

1 pound fresh peas (or frozen, thawed)

2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 cups water or broth

1 pound small new potatoes, cut into chunks

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

salt and pepper to taste

Place the water in a bowl and squeeze the lemon into it. If you have fresh artichokes, trim the tough outer leaves and remove the stem and choke, then halve or quarter, and place them in a bowl of water that’s been acidified with a little lemon juice to prevent browning.

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan and saute onions for 5 minutes. Add the peas and carrots and saute 2 minutes, then stir in the lemon juice, water or broth and bring to a boil.

Drain the artichokes and add to the pan, along with the potatoes. Cover and simmer over medium low heat for 45 minutes, until artichokes are tender.

Beat the egg yolk in a small bowl and whisk in a couple of tablespoons of the hot braising liquid. Return the egg mixture to the hot sauce and stir to combine, cooking over low heat for 1 minute longer. Stir in the fresh dill and mint and season with salt and pepper. Serves 6.

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©Cinda Chavich

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