SAVORY WAY: Rice With Spinach, Herbs, And Cheese

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* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Rice With Spinach, Herbs, And Cheese

 

Recipe By : The Savory Way by Deborah Madison, page 252

Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :1:15

Categories : Madison: Savory Way Main Dishes, Vegetarian

Rice Vegetables

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

1 cup long- or short-grain white rice -- or brown rice

salt

1 pound spinach bunch

12 sorrel leaves -- if available

1 tablespoon virgin olive oil or butter

1 medium yellow onion -- finely diced

1 clove garlic -- minced

1 teaspoon chopped thyme

OR 2 pinches dried thyme leaves

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

1 pinch red pepper flakes

1/4 pound provolone cheese -- grated

approximately 1 1/3 cups

3 beaten eggs -- optional

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

additional virgin olive oil

 

Makes 3 to 4 servings as a main dish.

 

This recipe makes a soothing, simple, and reasonable supper. Sauteed

Tomatoes with Vinegar (see separate recipe) would make a lively, easy

accompaniment.

 

This is the kind of dish that can be varied easily. Including eggs makes

it a more substantial, one-dish meal. Different kinds of rice have

different flavors and textures; try using white or brown basmati, for

example. Other greens - watercress, mustard or turnip greens, chard, or

more exotically, rocket (arugula), hyssop, or borage leaves (blanched

first) - mixed with the spinach add interest and complexity. Provolone is

a good cheese for its strength of flavor and texture, but rich, buttery

Fontina is also delicious, as are mozzarella and even a low-fat ricotta cheese.

 

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt to taste and the rice and cook at

a slow boil until the rice is tender but still a little undercooked- about

15 minutes for white rice, 30 minutes for brown. When it is done, drain,

rinse briefly with cool water, shake off excess water, and put the rice in

a mixing bowl.

 

Remove the stems from the spinach and wash the leaves in several changes of

water to get rid of the sand. Cook the spinach and sorrel in a large

skillet with the water that clings to the leaves just long enough to wilt

them; then set the greens in a strainer. When cool enough to handle, chop

the spinach and sorrel roughly without wringing dry--the juice will keep

the rice moist while baking.

 

Heat the oil or butter in a small skillet, add the onion, and cook over low

heat for about 5 minutes or until softened. Toward the end of the cooking,

add the garlic and thyme. Preheat the oven to 350F.

 

Combine all the ingredients together and season with salt to taste and the

pepper. Lightly film a baking dish with oil, add the rice mixture, and, if

you like, drizzle additional oil over the top. Cover lightly with foil and

bake until heated through and the cheese is melted, about 25

minutes. Remove the cover and bake for another 5 minutes.

 

 

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