Midopilafo is a must for fasting days!
Materials for 4-6 servings:
1 kilo of mussels off the shell
Half a kilo of mussels in the shell
1 kilo of yellow rice
200 ml extra virgin olive oil
One dry onion
Four spring onions
half a hot pepper
One clove of garlic
One bay leaf
One ripe tomato, peeled and diced
A little ouzo
One lemon (skin and juice)
One bunch of parsley
One bunch of dill
200 ml of water
Salt Pepper
Procedure
Step 1
We clean the outside of the mussels very well with the shell and remove their hair by pulling from top to bottom. Then, carefully but gently, rinse the mussels with the crumbs.
Step 2
Add the extra virgin olive oil, the chopped onion, the fresh chopped onion, the garlic, and the hot pepper in a pot. Once they soften slightly, add the mussels with their shells.
Step 3
Then chop the stalks from the dill and parsley and add them to sauté. Next, it's time to add the rice to our pot. And we extinguish with ouzo. Let the alcohol evaporate, and add the tomato, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and warm water. Finally, we throw in the skin from the lemon and the lemon cut into slices.
Step 4
After it boils, add the mussels with the crumbs and the rest of the parsley. Leave them longer, remove them from the heat, and cover them with a towel. Add a little extra virgin olive oil on top, and serve as soon as the rice swells.
Dimitris Giovaras is a columnist for Cantina. Translated by Paul Antonopoulos.
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