Turkish cuisine · Fish & Seafood

Midye Dolma

Mussel shells stuffed with rice, pine nuts, currants and allspice, steamed and eaten with lemon.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 24 large mussels
• 250 g long-grain rice
• 3 onions
• 50 g pine nuts
• 40 g currants
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 100 ml olive oil
• 2 lemons
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Soak the rice in warm salted water for 20 min. and rinse; scrub the mussels vigorously under running water, pull off the beards, and discard any open mussels.
2. Carefully pry the mussels open along the straight edge with a sturdy knife without breaking the hinge, and rinse out any sand inside.
3. Finely dice the onions and sauté in olive oil over low heat for 10–12 min. until soft and golden; add the pine nuts and toast for 2 min. more until fragrant.
4. Stir in the drained rice, currants, allspice, cinnamon, salt and pepper, pour in 150 ml hot water, and cook covered for 10 min. until the rice is half-done and the liquid is absorbed.
5. Spoon 1 heaping tsp of the filling into each mussel, press the shell closed, and pack the stuffed mussels tightly in a pot; weigh down with a plate, add 200 ml water, and steam covered over gentle heat for 30 min.
6. Let cool to lukewarm in the pot, wipe the shells clean on the outside, and serve with plenty of lemon wedges – the juice is added right before eating.