Spanakorizo- Spinach Rice with Shrimp

This recipe was one that I ate as a child. Though I did not appreciate it as much when I was younger, it brings back fond memories of my Giagia (grandmother) and I totally love it. Traditionally, spanakorizo is made without shrimp, however, my mother and I have modified the dish to make it more wholesome. The recipe could also be made with tomatoes, however, my family prefers less tomatoes, and so we keep the spanakorizo more lemony. Hope you enjoy the recipe as much as I do now!

Shrimp Spanakorizo
Ingredients:

• 1 lb. fresh spinach
• 1 lb. uncooked shrimp
• 1 tbsp. chopped dill
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper for taste
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2/3 cup rice
• 1 and 1/2 cups water
• juice from half a lemon

Instructions:

Here are our main ingredients.

Prepare all your ingredients:  Chop onion and dill and set aside. De-vein and remove tails from shrimp and set aside.

 Dill & onion (before I chopped them up).

Shrimp- de-veined and tails removed (before cooking)

In a pot, pour in olive oil.  Add in onions and saute in oil until the onions are soft and opaque.
Wash the spinach thoroughly, drain, and chop.

(I prefer my spinach whole because once it is cooked, it wilts- the choice is yours!)

Add the spinach to the sauteed onions and simmer slowly until almost completely cooked.
Once the spinach is almost completely cooked, add in the shrimp, and let cook until opaque.
Add water, bring to a boil and stir in rice, chopped dill, and salt and pepper.

Here is our rice- this is a bit more rice because I was making 6-8 servings, because my family is a typical Greek family - huge, loud and always hungry!

Cover and let it simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the rice is soft and all the water is absorbed.
Add the juice of half a lemon before removing the rice from the heat.
Remove from heat, let it cool for about 5-10 minutes, and serve while hot.

Here is our Shrimp Spanakorizo...looks delicious!

And remember, though it is not completely necessary, pour yourself a nice glass of white wine &  enjoy!