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Homemade Stuffed Mussels with Aromatic Rice (Midye Dolma) Recipe

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4.3 from 29 reviews

Homemade Stuffed Mussels with Aromatic Rice, known as Midye Dolma, is a flavorful Turkish appetizer featuring plump black mussels filled with a fragrant mixture of short grain rice, pine nuts, currants, fresh herbs, and warm spices. The stuffed mussels are gently simmered to perfection and served with fresh lemon wedges, making for a delightful and aromatic seafood dish perfect for sharing.

Ingredients

Mussels

  • 25 – 30 large black mussels, cleaned and bearded
  • Lemon wedges, for serving

Stuffing

  • 2 medium to large onions, finely chopped
  • 30 gr / 1 oz currants
  • 30 gr / 1 oz pine nuts
  • 110 gr / 3 ¾ oz / ½ cup short grain rice
  • 1 tomato, very finely chopped or grated
  • Handful (about ⅓ cup) finely chopped flat leaf parsley
  • Handful (about ⅓ cup) finely chopped fresh dill
  • 15 ml / 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 – 2 tsp ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes or chili flakes
  • 5 ml / 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 60 ml / 4 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt to taste
  • 240 ml / 8 fl oz / 1 cup hot water

Instructions

  1. Soak Currants: Place the currants in a bowl, cover with warm water and soak for 15 minutes. Then drain and set aside.
  2. Prepare Rice: Rinse the rice thoroughly under cold running water using a sieve. Drain and set aside.
  3. Make the Stuffing: Heat olive oil in a medium sized pan over medium to high heat. Add chopped onions and sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
  4. Add Pine Nuts: Stir in pine nuts and continue to sauté for another 3 minutes, stirring frequently to toast them lightly.
  5. Add Remaining Stuffing Ingredients: Add rice, soaked currants, finely chopped tomato, tomato paste, ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, ground cinnamon, and salt. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
  6. Cook the Rice Mixture: Pour in hot water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer on low for 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and rice is al dente with a slight bite. Remove from heat and let cool.
  7. Incorporate Fresh Herbs: Once the rice mixture is cool, stir in the chopped parsley and dill. Adjust seasoning with extra salt or black pepper if needed. Set aside or refrigerate if preparing ahead.
  8. Prepare Mussels: Rinse and scrub mussels under cold water, removing beards and grit. Using a blunt knife, pry open the mussels by cutting through the muscle connecting the shells, leaving meat attached to both halves.
  9. Stuff Mussels: Spoon about 2 teaspoons of the aromatic rice stuffing into the center of each mussel’s bottom shell. Press the shell halves gently back together without overfilling.
  10. Arrange Mussels in Pan: Place stuffed mussels in a single layer, shells slightly overlapping, in a wide heavy pan with tips pointing outward, forming a tight spiral in the center. Cover the mussels with a wide plate to keep them from opening too wide during cooking.
  11. Prepare Cooking Liquid: Strain mussel juice through a double layer of muslin cloth three times to remove grit. Mix the strained juice with water to make approximately 250 ml (generous 1 cup) liquid per pan.
  12. Cook Mussels: Pour the mussel juice mixture into the pan until it reaches half the height of the mussels. Cover the pan and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
  13. Cool and Serve: Remove from heat and allow mussels to cool at room temperature. Then cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour to let flavors develop. Serve chilled or at room temperature with lemon wedges. Enjoy by using the top shell to scoop the stuffed rice from the bottom shell with a squeeze of lemon.

Notes

  • Opening live mussels may be challenging; soaking them in warm water softens the shell and makes them easier to open. Discard any broken or open shells that do not close when tapped.
  • The aromatic rice stuffing is delicious on its own and can be made a day ahead to enhance the flavor.
  • Use plenty of onions in the stuffing for rich flavor, combined with currants, pine nuts, fresh herbs, and warming spices.
  • Red pepper flakes add a subtle heat that complements the mussels without overpowering them.
  • Avoid overstuffing the mussels as the rice needs some room to cook further during simmering.

Find it online: https://flavorspath.com/homemade-stuffed-mussels-with-aromatic-rice-midye-dolma-recipe/