Midia Dolma (Stuffed Mussels)
Description
Ingredients
3 cups or more of (finely) chopped onions
½ cup oil (salad-olive, etc.)
1 cup of rice (washed)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp paprika
1 tsp of a little more of crushed dry dill or chopped fresh dill
½ cup currants or raisins (currants preferred)
1 lemon squeezed
Sauté onions in oil until light brown
Add rice and raisins and cook a little more, stirring frequently.
Add all the spices and lemon.
Add 2 cups of boiling water and cover until absorbed (don’t overcook) five minutes or so.
Cleaning the mussels:
(Betty doesn't say how many mussels to use, but having had this dish at her home, the answer is probably aroudn 50-75 or two meshbags full from the store.)
Soak in cold water to which a little flour has been added – Squish back and forth in a large bowl – do a few times – (the flour for whatever reason helps in removing any sand in the mussels.)
Open the mussels carefully with a pointed knife and remove beards. Loosen the joints slightly so that that they close later.
Fill with a teaspoon or more of the cooked rice mixture and close the mussels – arrange them in a large pan side by side and a layer on top.
Put an inverted plate to keep them in place and cover the pot –
Add about two cups of water and cook for about 50 minutes. The water will be absorbed my the rice. Enjoy!
(To be eaten cold)
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