Date mussels are difficult to find, but you can also use another kind of seafood!
ingredients for 4 servings (cost about 6 € pp)
- 800 g date mussels
- 240 g carnaroli rice
- A small glass white wine
- 1,2 liter fish stock
- Already made sofregit, otherwise: a) 1 large or 2 medium onions, b) EV olive oil c) 1 tomato
- A handful dried wild mushrooms
- Some saffron threads
- Salt
- EV olive oil
- Parsley
Having prepared sofregit in large quantities, when we have plenty of time and keeping it in low temperatures we can reduce the meal´s preparation time, even in half. Otherwise, we have to sub-fry the onion in oil and later add the tomato in pieces as we do in risottos!
The main difference between risottos and Spanish dishes with rice is that in the last ones we wash very well the rice under running water, since the result to which we aim, is a almost soupy (in caldoso rice) or dry (in seco rice) and not creamy. For the same reason the rice is not stirred during the preparations and the stock is used all in advance. So, let’ s begin.
We lightly preheat a large wok or a casserole and we add the sofregit, ½ tbsp per person. We wash well the rice and we add it in the pan. We toast it more than we do in risottos, cos we don’t wanna maintain rice’ s starches.
We deglaze with the wine and we add the mushrooms, the saffron threads and the boiling stock. We control the saltiness.
We let the rice boil at low temperatures till al dente. If the result is too thick, we add some more stock. If, on the contrary, it is still too watery, we remove a liquid part from it.
Meanwhile, we steam the date mussels, as we do with the common ones.
At the final stage, we serve the rice in a deep plate with the mussels on top, and we sprinkle with some fresh parsley.
