Midopilafo Politiko (Μυδοπίλαφο Πολίτικο)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •wide heavy pot with tight-fitting lid, 28cm
• •fine sieve lined with cheesecloth
• •measuring jug, 1 liter

Instructions

1. 1

   Clean the mussels

   Rinse the mussels under cold running water, scrub the shells, and pull away the beards. Discard cracked shells and any open mussel that does not close when tapped. Fresh mussels should smell clean and sea-salty, never sour.

   Do not soak mussels in a bowl of water. They are alive, and they need air until the pot is ready.
2. 2

   Open and strain

   Put the mussels in a wide pot with the wine or water. Cover and cook over high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice, until the shells open. Lift the opened mussels into a bowl and discard any that stay shut. Strain the liquid left in the pot through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth, then measure 650ml, topping up with hot water only if the mussels give you less. This liquid is the dish. Throw it away and you have rice with mussels, not midopilafo.

   If the mussel liquor is very sandy, let it stand for 2 minutes after straining and pour it off slowly, leaving the last gritty spoonful behind.
3. 3

   Shell the mussels

   Remove most of the mussels from their shells, keeping 8 to 10 in the shell for the top of the pilaf. Cover them loosely so they stay moist. They will go back in at the end, because boiled mussels turn tight and sulky. No one needs that on a Tuesday.

4. 4

   Soften the base

   Wipe out the pot. Add 60ml of the olive oil, the onion, red pepper, and spring onions, and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until sweet and soft but not browned. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds. Add the rice, black pepper, and allspice, and stir for 2 minutes until the grains look glossy.

5. 5

   Cook the rice

   Pour in the 650ml strained mussel liquor. Bring it to a steady simmer, then lower the heat, cover tightly, and cook for 14 to 16 minutes without stirring, until small holes show on the surface and the rice has absorbed the liquid. Do not salt yet. Mussels bring their own sea, and you can correct the pot later.

6. 6

   Rest and finish

   Take the pot off the heat. Fold in the shelled mussels, dill, parsley, and the remaining 20ml olive oil, then set the mussels in their shells on top. Cover the pot with a clean towel under the lid and let it rest for 10 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork, taste for salt, add more black pepper if it asks for it, and serve with lemon wedges.

Chef Tips

• •Buy mussels the day you cook them. They should feel heavy, close when tapped, and smell clean. If the fishmonger has tired mussels, cook lentils tonight. Sourcing wins.
• •Use Carolina or another medium-grain Greek rice. Long-grain rice cooks too separate here, and risotto rice turns the pot creamy in the wrong way.
• •The mussel liquor is salty in different degrees every time. Taste at the end, then salt. A measured hand here saves the pot.
• •This sits comfortably on many Greek fasting tables because shellfish are allowed in much of the nistisimo practice, though every household keeps its own rule. There is no dairy, egg, or meat in the dish.
• •Midopilafo is best just rested, not reheated three times. Leftovers keep 1 day in the refrigerator; warm them gently with a spoonful of water and a little olive oil.

Advance Preparation

• •The onion, pepper, spring onions, dill, and parsley can be prepared up to 1 day ahead and kept chilled in separate covered containers.
• •Clean the mussels up to 2 hours ahead, then keep them cold in a colander covered with a damp cloth. Do not seal them in water.
• •Do not cook the pilaf far ahead. The rice and mussels are at their best after the 10-minute rest.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 360g)