Stuffed Mussels with Spiced Rice

Plump mussels stuffed with rice infused with cumin and paprika. The meat stays tender while the rice absorbs the sea juices for a soft, aromatic texture.

• Prep time: 45 min
• Cook time: 20 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 446
• Protein: 31 g
• Carbs: 43 g
• Fat: 16 g

Ingredients

• 1 kg Mytilus galloprovincialis ( cleaned and debearded )
• 150 g White rice ( rinsed )
• 1 piece Onion ( finely chopped )
• 2 piece Garlic ( pressed )
• 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp Cumin ground
• 1 tsp Sweet paprika
• 1 pinch Hot pepper en poudre
• 20 g Flat-leaf parsley ( chopped )
• 20 g Fresh cilantro ( chopped )
• 1 piece Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f. ( for juice )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 tbsp Tomato paste

Instructions

1. Cleaning the mussels

   Scrub the shells under cold water to remove impurities. Discard any that are broken or stay open. Keep them chilled.

2. Preparing the rice base

   In a sauté pan, sauté the chopped onion and garlic in olive oil. Add the rice, tomato paste, cumin, paprika, and chili powder. Pour in 200 ml of water and cook over medium heat until the liquid is absorbed. The rice should remain firm, almost crunchy.

3. Finishing the stuffing

   Off the heat, stir in the chopped parsley and cilantro. The stuffing should be richly colored and fragrant with warm spices. Let it cool slightly to make stuffing easier.

4. Stuffing the shellfish

   Carefully open the raw mussels with a knife, without separating the two valves. Slide a spoonful of stuffing inside and press firmly to close the mussel.

5. Steaming

   Pack the mussels tightly, point side up, in a sauté pan. Add a little water and the lemon juice. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. The rice will swell and seal the mussel.

Chef's tips

• Do not overcook the rice in the first step; it must finish swelling inside the mussel to absorb all the juices.
• Pack the mussels tightly in the pan to prevent them from opening too much and letting the stuffing escape.

Storage

Consume immediately or within 24 hours. Keep refrigerated.