Lina's Awesome Lebanese Spinach, Beef & Rice!

lina1131's Note:

This is a recipe that my mom use to make for us growing up (she still makes it for us :p). It's my absolute favorite and it's healthy! This dish is made with spinach, ground beef, and loads of flavor! Enjoy :)

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 8

Yield: 8.0 cups?

• olive oil
• 1 medium onion, Diced
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• salt
• 3 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach (drained and squeeze out all water from spinach)
• water
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
• lemon juice
• rice, cooked

Directions:

1. In a cooking pot, add olive oil and heat for a moment. Add onions and sauté. Add ground beef and cook until beef is brown. Add allspice, cinnamon, and salt. Mix. Add spinach and sauté with meat for a moment. Once it’s all mixed well together, add water to the pot , just enough to cover the spinach Cover and let the spinach meat mixure boil and then turn it down to medium heat and let it simmer/boil for a good 30 minutes. Meanwhile, get a sauté pan and add some olive oil, the garlic, and the chopped cilantro and sauté’ that mixture together. Add cilantro/garlic mixture to the spinach (after the spinach has cooked for 30 minutes). Cover and let it simmer for about 15 more minutes. Serve with rice and squeeze lemon juice on top!
2. • Using frozen chopped spinach works better than fresh spinach. It does not turn out the same if you use fresh. The frozen chopped is much better. I have tried both. Trust me!
3. • Be sure when adding water to the pot that you don’t add too much. You want just enough to cover the spinach. The spinach will release some water too!
4. • Squeezing the lemon on top of the spinach dish when it’s being served is the most important part of the dish! Don’t forget to do that, or you’ll miss out on the awesome taste of this dish!

Reviews

[Tea Jenny]

This was a very nice dinner for us, It did have loads of flavour and is very good for you also. I think the more garlic you add the better the taste. I used all frozen spinach, Like the opther reviewer I think it will be even better reheated. Made for PAC Spring 2011.

[L'ecole]

Just what I'd hoped it would taste like -- and boy, does the kitchen smell good while it's cooking! Can't wait to discover how much reheating will improve it. Tomorrow.....