Mussels with Rice (Apulia)

Fish

Ingredients

Mussels - 4-6 dozen

Salt

Ripe tomatoes - 1 pound

Olive oil - 2 1/2 tbsps

Garlic, crushed - 1 clove

Pepper

Rice - 2 1/2 cups

Wash the mussels and scrape them with a stiff brush. Wash again in salted water, drain well and put into a large, deep pan. Cover and place over a moderate heat. Shake the pan from time to time and continue heating for 10 minutes, by which time the mussels should all have opened. Discard any that are still closed. Take the mussels from the shells and strain their liquor into a bowl.

Peel the tomatoes, chop them finely and rub them through a sieve. Heat the oil in a large, heavy pan and fry the garlic clove gently. When it turns brown, discard it and add the sieved tomatoes, the mussel liquor and salt and pepper to taste, and cook over a brisk heat for 10 minutes.

Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the rice and cook it for about 7 minutes, or until it is half cooked. Drain well. Add the rice to the pan with tomatoes and continue cookinguntil soft, about another 10 minutes, not longer. 2 or 3 minutes before the rice is ready to be serves add the mussels, stir and leave just long enough to reheat them and develop their flavor - longer cooking will make them tough.

Serves 6