Midia Gemista Politika (Μύδια Γεμιστά Πολίτικα)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •short blunt oyster knife or mussel knife
• •fine-mesh sieve
• •wide heavy pot, 28 to 30cm, with lid
• •heatproof plate that fits inside the pot

Instructions

1. 1

   Clean the mussels

   Rinse the mussels under cold running water, scrub the shells, and pull away the beards with a firm tug toward the hinge. Throw away cracked mussels and any open mussel that doesn't close after a tap. Keep them cold while you work. Live shellfish are not something to bargain with.

2. 2

   Open the shells

   Set a fine sieve over a bowl. Working one mussel at a time, slide a short blunt oyster knife into the seam and cut just enough to open the shell like a book, leaving the hinge attached. Let the liquor fall into the sieve. The meat stays in the shell. If a mussel smells wrong or is dry inside, discard it.

   Do not separate the two shell halves. They must close around the rice for the proper Politiki shape.
3. 3

   Cook the filling

   Measure the strained mussel liquor and top it up with water to make 500ml. Warm 60ml of the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the onions and salt, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until soft and pale, not browned. Stir in the pine nuts for 2 minutes, then add the rice, currants, allspice, cinnamon, black pepper, and sugar. Pour in 220ml of the mussel liquor mixture and cook for 8 to 9 minutes, stirring now and then, until the liquid is absorbed. The rice should be swollen at the edges but still firm in the center. Fold in the parsley, dill, and mint, then let the filling cool for 10 minutes.

4. 4

   Stuff them loosely

   Spoon a small amount of filling into each mussel, usually 1 to 2 teaspoons depending on the shell. Close the shell gently. Don't pack it tight. This is the dish's hinge: the rice finishes cooking inside the shell, so it needs a little liquid and a little room to swell. Fill hard and the shell gapes, or the rice turns heavy instead of separate.

5. 5

   Simmer under weight

   Arrange the stuffed mussels in tight layers in a wide heavy pot, with the hinged sides outward where you can. Pour the remaining 280ml mussel liquor mixture, the remaining 30ml olive oil, and the lemon juice around the edge of the pot. Set a heatproof plate directly on top to keep the shells closed, cover with the lid, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook on low for 22 to 25 minutes. Do not stir.

6. 6

   Rest and serve

   Turn off the heat and leave the pot covered for 20 minutes. Lift away the plate carefully. Serve the mussels warm or at room temperature with lemon wedges. At the table, open the shell, squeeze in lemon, and use one half of the shell to scoop the rice and mussel. The City knew what it was doing.

Chef Tips

• •Buy large live mussels the day you cook. Small mussels make mean work and don't hold enough filling. If the fishmonger has only tired shells, cook something else today. Λίγα και καλά.
• •Taste the strained mussel liquor before you salt the filling. Some mussels give you enough salinity for the whole pot, and a heavy hand here makes the rice harsh.
• •Because mussels are shellfish, many Greek fasting tables allow them on nistisima days when oil is permitted, though local practice varies. With lemon, bread, and a little salad, they sit naturally on that table.
• •Cook once they are stuffed. The filling can wait, the live mussels can wait briefly in the cold, but stuffed shellfish should not sit around all afternoon.

Advance Preparation

• •Rinse and drain the rice up to 2 hours ahead.
• •Soak and drain the currants earlier the same day.
• •The rice filling can be cooked up to 6 hours ahead and chilled. Bring it back toward cool room temperature before stuffing.
• •Do not stuff the mussels far ahead. Once filled, cook them straight away.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 325g)