serves 6 to 8
Mussel pilaf is one of the great rice dishes of Greece. Originally a transplant, tucked into the handwritten recipe books and memories of the million or so Greeks who emigrated to the mother-land as refugees from Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) in 1922, a time of political upheaval in the region, and changed the face and flavor of the Greek table. Their cuisine was, and still is, aromatic, sophisticated, and more complex than the traditional agrarian fare found throughout the country on islands and mainland alike. This dish has a few modern twists, the culmination in some ways of all my own time spent in restaurant kitchens.
50 in-shell or shelled mussels
½ cup (240 ml) white wine, plus more as needed for steaming the mussels
12 cups (2.9 L) shrimp broth, fish broth, or seafood broth
½ cup (120 ml) extra-virgin Greek olive oil
1 large leek, trimmed, washed well, and chopped
2 scallions, chopped
1 large red onion, chopped
1 fennel bulb, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups (370 g) Greek Carolina or Italian risotto rice, such as Arborio or Carnaroli
1 sachet of squid ink (see Note)
½ cup (120 ml) ouzo
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
⅔ cup (35 g) chopped fresh dill
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Crushed pink peppercorns, for garnish
If using whole, in-shell mussels, rinse them under cold water and remove their beards and any debris on their shells. Fill a large, wide pot with wine to a depth of 2 inches (5 cm). Place the mussels in a steamer basket and place the basket in the pot. Cover, bring the wine to a simmer over medium-high heat, and steam until the mussels have opened, about 5 minutes. Discard any that haven’t opened. Remove some (or all) of the mussels from their shells to make them easier to eat inside the rice. (I like to keep a few in their shells because it looks dramatic in the rice.)
In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer.
In a separate large deep skillet or wide pot, heat ¼ cup (60 ml) of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leek, scallions, onion, and fennel. Cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic.
Add the rice to the pan and stir to coat with the oil. While stirring, add two ladles of the hot broth to the pot and cook, stirring, until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. Add the squid ink and stir to distribute it evenly. Add two more ladles of hot broth and stir until they have been absorbed. Carefully pour in the ouzo and ½ cup (120 ml) wine and cook until the alcohol has evaporated. Continue adding the hot broth, letting the rice absorb each addition before adding the next, until the rice is almost cooked through. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Add the mussels to the rice and stir gently. Stir in the dill, lemon zest, and pink peppercorns. Serve.
NOTE: Squid ink is available online and at brick-and-mortar specialty stores.
