Stuffed Mussels

Stuffed Mussels

👥 6–8 (as meze) servings 🍽️ meze 🌍 Turkish

🥘 Ingredients

  • olive oil
    1 cup
  • onions (chopped)
    4
  • pine nuts (optional)
    3 tbsp
  • rice
    2.5 cups
  • cassia (optional)
    1 tsp
  • allspice
    1/4 tsp
  • black pepper
    1/4 tsp
  • currants (optional)
    4 tbsp
  • water
    2.25 cups
  • mussels (fresh, still in the shell)
    30
  • water
    1 cup
  • water (60 ml tepid)
    1/4 cup
  • lemon wedges
    10-15

🍳 Cookware

  • large pan
  • strainer
  • colander
  • pot
  • parchment paper
  • serving dish
📝

WHILE TURKS consider stuffed mussels to be a great appetizer, it is also a wonderful fast food sold by street vendors and eaten on the run. Turks tend to frequent their own regular vendors, and purchasing and eating the mussels is a sort of street ritual in Istanbul. The vendor serves them, giving the mussels a squeeze of lemon juice as he hands them over. No fork is necessary! The diner uses the top half of the shell for a spoon. The stuffing in this recipe includes currants and pine nuts to make it Istanbul style, but you may also use plain rice cooked in olive oil (Aegean style).

📝

Note: To have a few extra mussels is always a good idea; it is very easy to divide the stuffing among them and you can easily end up using it all.

  1. 1
    # STUFFING Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
    olive oil: 1 cup
  2. 2
    Add the onions and sauté until transparent.
    onions: 4 (chopped)
  3. 3
    Add the pine nuts and sauté for ⏱️ 1 minute .
    pine nuts: 3 tbsp (optional)
  4. 4
    Add the rice and sauté until the rice sizzles.
    rice: 2.5 cups
  5. 5
    Add the cassia , allspice , black pepper , and currants , then add water (540 ml).
    cassia: 1 tsp (optional), allspice: 1/4 tsp, black pepper: 1/4 tsp, currants: 4 tbsp (optional), water: 2.25 cups
  6. 6
    Stir well. Cover and cook for ⏱️ 5 minutes over medium heat.
  7. 7
    Remove from heat, cover, and let cool.
  8. 8
    # MUSSELS Scrub the mussels . With a small knife, open each shell halfway, leaving them attached.
    mussels: 30 (fresh, still in the shell)
  9. 9
    Wash the insides carefully without damaging the meat.
  10. 10
    Stuff the mussels with the rice mixture.
  11. 11
    # COOKING Place a strainer or colander in a pot and arrange the mussels inside, open ends facing upward.
  12. 12
    Add water (240 ml).
    water: 1 cup
  13. 13
    Cover completely with a thoroughly moistened parchment paper instead of a lid.
  14. 14
    Cook over very low heat for ⏱️ 25-30 minutes , until rice is thoroughly cooked (check by lifting a corner of the parchment).
  15. 15
    If rice is not tender, re-cover and cook until done. (If needed, add water and cover tightly again to extend cooking time.)
    water: 1/4 cup (60 ml tepid)
  16. 16
    Let the mussels cool, arrange on a serving dish , and serve with lemon wedges .
    lemon wedges: 10-15