MIDYE DOLMASI
TURKEY
The first time I tried these stuffed mussels was when I spotted them beautifully displayed by a street vendor near the Pera Palace hotel in Istanbul where I was staying. I was intrigued. I had never had them before. They were a revelation—exquisite and completely unexpected as street food given how much time they take to prepare, not to mention how sophisticated the recipe is. And yet you find them sold cheaply on the street, usually by older men who I suspect prepare them at home, or perhaps have their wives make them while they take care of selling them. I actually never found out as I don’t speak Turkish and I have yet to find a stuffed mussel vendor who speaks another language! The mussels you buy in Turkey are very large and work perfectly for stuffing. They need to be stuffed raw so that the rice becomes enclosed on both sides by the flesh of the mussel, but opening them takes some real skill, and it is important to know where to insert the knife, which I explain below, so that you immediately cut into the muscle that opens and closes the shell.
SERVES 4
FOR THE STUFFING
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions (7 ounces/200 g), finely chopped
1 tablespoon pine nuts
½ cup (100 g) Calasparra rice or other short-grained rice, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes
1 tablespoon golden raisins
1½ tablespoons tomato paste
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon paprika
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
2 to 3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
2 to 3 sprigs dill, bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
Sea salt and finely ground black pepper
FOR THE MUSSELS
About 40 large mussels; in Turkey they use mussels about 2 inches (5 cm) long (see Note)
2 lemons, cut into wedges
1. To prepare the stuffing: Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and pine nuts and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain the rice and add to the pan. Mix in the raisins, tomato paste, ground spices, fresh herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Add 1 cup (250 ml) water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the water is fully absorbed and the rice is just barely tender. Take off the heat. Wrap the lid with a kitchen towel and replace over the pan. Let cool.
2. To prepare the mussels: Pull out and discard the beards (if there are any) and rinse the mussels under cold water—do not put them in a bowl to soak or else they will die. Lay a mussel on a kitchen towel on your work surface and insert the tip of a small but solid sharp knife in between the shells at the nerve end, which is at the slanted hinged end of the mussel. Slide the knife downward and all around the shell until you cut into the muscle. This will allow you to open the mussel easily while keeping the two halves attached. Open the rest of the mussels the same way, making sure you do not rush or you will either break the shells or hurt yourself with the knife.
3. Stir the stuffing with a fork to fluff it up, then fill each mussel with 1 teaspoon or more of it, depending on how large they are. Gently close them, wiping away any grains of rice sticking out, and arrange in 2 or 3 layers in a flat steamer basket. Weight down the stuffed mussels with a plate and steam for 20 to 25 minutes, until the mussels are cooked and the rice stuffing is tender. Pull the steamer basket out of the steamer and let the mussels cool before serving at room temperature with wedges of lemon to squeeze onto the stuffing. If you have any rice stuffing left over, add a little water and finish cooking it on the stove. Serve on the side.
NOTE: If you can’t find large mussels, change the dish to a pilaf. Prepare twice the amount of rice stuffing and cook it completely. Then steam the mussels. Take them off shell, and place them half inside the cooked rice here and there.