Stuffed Mussels

⏳ Time

2 hours

🥕 Ingredients

🍽️ Servings

Description

Stuffed mussels are a labor-intensive but very elegant dish. To prepare it, you need to stock up on time and patience, as you'll have to fill the shells of small mussels with the filling. We offer an American recipe with rice, raisins, tomatoes, and spices.

Ingredients

Pasta shells - 30 pieces
Onion - 2 heads
Raisins - 1.1 oz
Pistachios - 1.1 oz
Boiled White Round Rice - 3.9 oz
Tomatoes - 1 piece
Passata Tomato Sauce - 0.5 oz
Parsley - 0.7 oz
Dill - 0.7 oz
Chili Flakes - ½ spoons
Cinnamon - 1 tablespoon
Olive Oil - 2 fl oz
Ground Black Pepper - to taste
Salt - to taste
Lemon - to taste

Step by Step guide

Step 1

Soak the raisins in hot water for 15 minutes, then drain the water.

Step 2

Chop the onion.

Step 3

In a saucepan, heat the oil and sauté the chopped onion over medium heat for 5 minutes, then add the pine nuts and continue to sauté for another 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Step 4

Add the rinsed rice, raisins, chopped or grated tomato, and tomato paste, then pour in a cup of water. Add spices, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Cover with a lid and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes, until the rice has absorbed all the water. At this stage, the rice should be al dente. Remove from heat and let it cool.

Step 5

Add the chopped parsley and dill to the cooled rice.

Step 6

Thoroughly rinse the mussels and remove the beards. Then, place them in warm water to help them open. Cut the meat of the mussels from one shell, leaving it attached to the other shell.

Step 7

Fill each mussel with the rice filling and close the shells. Arrange them in a skillet so that each subsequent mussel presses down on the shells of the previous one, making it harder for them to open during cooking. The mussels should be placed in a single layer.

Step 8

Cover them with a plate — again, to prevent them from opening during cooking.

Step 9

Pour a glass of water over the mussels, making sure the liquid level reaches halfway up the mussels. Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the cooked mussels from the heat, let them cool, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes.