Traditional mussel pilaf  (Mydopilafo paradosiako)

Traditional mussel pilaf (Mydopilafo paradosiako)
4.4/5 rating (5 votes)

  • Ready in: 45'
  • Serves: 4
  • Complexity: medium

Ingredients

  • onions: 2 finely chopped
  • garlic: 1 tbs., finely chopped
  • parsley: 2 tbs., finely chopped
  • fresh mussels: 1 ½ kilo
  • white wine: ¼ cup
  • olive oil: ½ cup
  • short grain rice: 1 cup
  • tomatoes: 300 gr., finely chopped
  • tomato puree: 1 tbs.
  • chilli pepper: 1 finely chopped
  • salt a bit
  • pepper freshly ground

Directions

  1. Clean the shells, remove the beards and wash well. Steam in a pot with the wine until the shells open. Discard the mussels whose shells did not open. Keep 5-6 mussels in their shells for garnish and remove the shells from the rest.

  2. Sauté the onion, garlic and chilli pepper in the oil. Add the mussels and all the ingredients except for the rice and salt and pepper. As soon as the sauce comes to a boil, pour in the rice and water to make the pilaf (you can also use the juice used to steam the mussels but you must strain it first).

  3. Remove the pot from the heat when the rice is cooked, before all the liquid has evaporated. Salt and  pepper and serve garnished with the mussels in their shells.