Lemon Braised Spinach with Pine Nuts

I have always wanted to ask Popeye "Are you smoking crack?". Clearly only someone on drugs could enjoy spinach that much. It's the same question I posed to my husband when early on in the relationship he revealed that spinach was one of his favorite foods. He warned my lack of love for spinach could be deal breaker. Since then I have come a long way. However to move forward one needs to look back. Maybe it was the smell or texture there was something that I just didn't dig about spinach leaves and certainly wasn't a lack of exposure as it is difficult to avoid spinach growing up Greek. My mother's spanakorizo (spinach and rice) is one of her most requested dish. Now a few years have based since I questioned my husbands "drug" problem and luckily he realized both spinach and I could coexist.

My spinach frown has been turned upside down thanks in part to this dish. Spinach tastes so much better topped with lemon with a side of crusty bread and feta. The beauty of this dish is the utter simplicty in cooking witout adding more liquid as spinach has enough or cooking for a long period of time. Both spinach fans and novice will be pleased . Oh and I love the watery, lemony goodness in this pic. It's perfect for dipping bread.

Braised Spinach with Pine Nuts
Serves 2

1 16 oz. bag of curly spinach, washed and stems removed
1 small onion, grated
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green onion, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried dill (fresh if you have it)

Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add grated onion and garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Over medium high heat add the spinach. Mix well and cover pot. Allow spinach to wilt about 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice, salt, pepper and dill. Serve warm.