Lemon-Garlic Spinach Delight

1. Cook the garlic

Heat 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the thinly sliced garlic cloves and cook for about 3 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. When the garlic turns a light golden brown and begins to sizzle, proceed to the next step.

2. Add and wilt spinach

Add the stemmed curly-leaf spinach to the Dutch oven by the handful. Use tongs to stir the spinach as you add it, ensuring each batch begins to wilt before adding more.

3. Season spinach

Sprinkle the wilted spinach with ½ teaspoon of grated lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Continue to stir for about 2 minutes until the spinach is uniformly wilted and has a glossy green appearance.

4. Drain spinach

Use tongs to transfer the wilted spinach to a colander and give it a gentle squeeze to drain any excess liquid. Return the drained spinach to the Dutch oven.

5. Add lemon juice and finish

Sprinkle the spinach with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, stir to combine, and drizzle with an additional teaspoon of olive oil. Season with more salt to taste, give it one last stir, and serve.