MIDYE DOLMASI ( Stuffed mussels with aromatic rice )

This is a  very popular Turkish traditional meze dish. it is sold by street vendors in cities and sea side resorts all over Turkey. It is a common site to see people stopping to buy the mussels, squeezing with lemon  and enjoying them  as a snack. Normally It is made with fresh mussels strength from the sea, cleaned and cooked, but I had some greenshell New Zealand mussels ( my favorite ) in the freezer to use and result was very good and it worked very well with this dish.  Serves 2.

INGREDIENTS

• 10  large frozen mussels, defrosted
• 1 small onion, chopped finely
• 2 tsp of olive oil
• 2 tsp pine nuts
• 2 tsp currants
• 1 level tsp cinnamon,
• 1 tsp mix dried herbs
• pinch of mix spice
• 1/2 cup rice ( about 60 g )
  
• 2 tsp tomato paste
• 1 cup hot water
• fresh chopped herbs ( parsley, dill )
• Salt and ground black pepper.

1) Clean the shells with a brush, pull out the though beards. Wash the mussels, drain and set aside. 

2) Make the  rice filling. Brown the chopped onion in a pan with oil. Add pine nuts, currants, spices and dried herbs, stir.

3) Add rice and mix until well coated. Add tomato paste, hot water, salt and bring  the rice to boil. Once boiled, turn the heat to low and cook the rice with the lid on for 10- 12 minutes.

4) Transfer the rice on a plate and let it cool. Add the fresh herbs and mix.

5) Stuff each shell of the mussels with a  tsp of the rice filling then close the shells and place them into a steamer. Place the lid tightly and bring the water to boil. Then steam the filled mussels for  15 minutes on low heat.

6) Leave the mussels in the pan for a few minutes then transfer them onto a serving plate. Serve with lemon wedges.

TENDER LAMB AND AROMATIC RICE WRAPPED IN AUBERGINES(kuzulu pilav, patlican sarmasi)

This is a wonderful dish from Central Turkey. It takes some time to prepare but your quests will be impressed at a dinner party. Traditionally the sliced aubergines fried in oil but I grilled them today which worked very well and it was lighter than the original recipe.

YOU NEED

• 2 aubergines, sliced thinly
• olive oil for brushing
• sprinkle or salt
• 250-300 g lean, tender lamb pieces
• 2- 3 tbsp oil or butter
• 1 large onion, chopped finely
• 2 clove of garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme or pinch of dried thyme
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• hot water
• Half a cup of washed rice
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup of hot water

METHOD

1) Brush the aubergine slices with olive oil on both sides, sprinkle with salt and grill under preheated grill, on the top shelf for 20 minutes turning once. Grease a non stick dip pan, 15 cm wide and 6 cm deep. Arrange slice of aubergines all round the pan and at the bottom of the pan as shown above. Set aside.

2) Chop the lamb in to small cubes, Saute the onion in oil first then add the meat and cook until brown. Add the garlic, thyme and tomato pure. Add enough hot water to cover the meat and bring it to boil. Place the lid and let the meat simmer for about 30- 35 minutes. Add little more hot water if the meat is drying out.

3) Add rice, parsley, mixed spice salt and ground black pepper to the meat. Add one cup of water to cover the rice and meat mixture. Bring it to boil then simmer for about 7 minutes until. The rice still should be mushy and half cooked. Turn the heat off.

4)Transfer meat and rice mixture in the pan with prepared with aubergine slices. Then over lap the slices and cover the the meat and rice mixture completely, wrapping the filling. Pour half a cup of hot water gently and bring the pan to boil.

5) Then turn to heat to very low and steam the dish for 15 minutes with lid on. Let it rest for 10-20 minutes before turning it over to a serving plate. Decorate with parsley leaves.

AROMATIC SULTAN'S RICE ( SULTAN RESAT PILAVI )

This is a great rice dish, again from the ottoman period. The Sultan liked this dish so much that it was  named after him ( Sultan Resat Pilavi )

YOU NEED

• 1 aubergine, cut into small cubes
• 1 red onion, chopped finely
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and left whole
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• 1 tsp mix spice  powder
• 1  level tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp currants
• 1 cup rice, washed and drained
• 1 cup cooked chick peas
• 10 very small button mushrooms
• half a red pepper, diced
• juice of half a lemon
• good bunch of fresh dill, chopped
• 2 cups hot water
• salt to taste.

METHOD

Chop the aubergine into cubes and place into a bowl.  Cover with salted cold water, keep them submerged and leave to soak for  15 minutes.

Meanwhile heat the oil in a large heavy pan add the onions to soften. Then add the pine nuts and cook until golden. Add garlic, cinnamon, black pepper. Stir in the currants, rice, chick peas, mushrooms, diced red pepper, dill and lemon juice.  Drain the aubergines and squeeze them dry and add to the pan. Mix everything until the rice coated well with herbs and spices. Pour the hot water  into the pan and bring rice to boil. Boil for 5 minutes then turn the heat to low and place the pan lid on. Cook rice for about 10 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed.. Turn the heat off. Cover the rice with 2-3 sheets of kitchen paper and press the lid tightly to cover it. Let the rice rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve it with extra chopped dill.

NOT: You can pan fry the aubergines in olive oil before adding into the rice ,if you wish.