Maria's Garlic Rice With Spinach

This rice includes wine and plenty of garlic. It is crucial to use good quality freshly peeled garlic from whole heads for the success of this rice. The rice can be made vegetarian by using water in place of the chicken broth. This recipe is from Baja: Cooking on the Edge.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 1⁄3 cup  vegetable oil (do not use olive oil)
• 1⁄2 cup  finely minced  white onion
• 2  cups  uncooked converted long-grain white rice
• 1⁄2 cup dry white wine
• 3 1⁄2 cups  chicken stock or 3 1⁄2 cups water
• 1⁄2-1  whole large head of garlic, broken into cloves and peeled
• 1  tablespoon kosher salt
• 2  cups  Baby Spinach, washed and stemmed

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a 2-quart saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add the onion and saute until softened but not browned.
2. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until the rice has absorbed the oil and is lightly golden. Add the wine and cook until the rice has absorbed the wine. Add the stock, cover, and turn the heat to low. Cook without peeking until the rice is done, about 15 minutes. Keep warm.
3. While the rice is cooking, chop the garlic with the salt until it is almost a paste. The salt will bring the juices out of the garlic and help with the chopping as well as season the rice.
4. When the rice is done, fluff it with a chopstick or fork. Stir in as much of the garlic paste as you have the nerve for. Stir in the spinach and replace the lid for 5 minutes; the spinach will steam with the heat from the rice. Serve as soon as possible.