Ingredients 500 gr mussels, cleaned 1/4 cup olive oil 1 finely chopped 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped 1 clov. garlic, finely chopped 2 scallions 1 hot pepper 6 cherry tomatoes 1/4 cup ouzo 2½ cup Carolina rice 5 cup hot water 1 juicy lemon 2 tbsp dill salt Pepper Equipment Frying pan TAGS RICE MUSSELS 30-MINUTE MEALS APPETIZERS MAIN COURSES DAIRY FREE GLUTEN FREE LENTED FOOD VEGAN CLEAN MONDAY GREEK WHAT TO COOK TODAY Ingredients 500 gr mussels, cleaned 1/4 cup olive oil 1 finely chopped 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped 1 clov. garlic, finely chopped 2 scallions 1 hot pepper 6 cherry tomatoes 1/4 cup ouzo 2½ cup Carolina rice 5 cup hot water 1 juicy lemon 2 tbsp dill salt Pepper Instructions For convenience, we can use frozen mussels without shells. Remove them from the bag and leave them in the refrigerator overnight in a colander to thaw properly until we use them. Heat the olive oil and sauté the finely chopped onion for 2 minutes. Add the diced bell pepper and the finely chopped garlic. Continue sautéing for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the scallions and cherry tomatoes. Sauté for 2 minutes and deglaze with the ouzo. Add the rice (washed) and stir the ingredients to coat the rice with oil. Add the hot water, stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Partially cover the pot and simmer for 10 minutes until the rice cracks. Add the cleaned mussels, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Taste the rice. Add the lemon juice and dill. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Turn off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes. WITH FRESH MUSSELS If we have fresh mussels, we clean them first. We rub them externally with a brush or wire sponge to clean the shell and remove the beard by pulling it. We discard any that are half-open or have a broken shell. Keep half of the mussels separately in a bowl. Heat a deep frying pan with a lid over high heat and add 4 tbsp of olive oil. Sauté the crushed garlic, pepper, and cherry tomatoes for 2-3 minutes. Add the ouzo and, once the alcohol has evaporated, add half of the mussels with their shells. Cover and let them steam and open for about 3 minutes. Shake the pan vigorously once or twice. Discard any mussels that do not open after this process. Remove them to a bowl. Remove the shells and keep the meat. Save the remaining ingredients in the pan for the end. Heat the olive oil and sauté the onion for a few minutes. Add the rice and sauté for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Pour in the homemade vegetable broth and 5 cups of hot water. Add all the ingredients from the pan except the mussels. Stir and simmer over low heat with a lid for 8-10 minutes. Then add the mussel meat and the chopped scallions. Stir gently and place the fresh mussels with their shells on the surface. Grind pepper and put the lid back on. Simmer until they open (for a few minutes). Finally, sprinkle with chopped herbs and serve immediately with lemon wedges. Tips Low heat so that the liquids do not evaporate. If necessary, add a little water or broth to keep it moist and prevent it from drying out. Serve hot 5 minutes after turning off the heat. TAGS RICE MUSSELS 30-MINUTE MEALS APPETIZERS MAIN COURSES DAIRY FREE GLUTEN FREE LENTED FOOD VEGAN CLEAN MONDAY GREEK WHAT TO COOK TODAY
