Greek Mussels in White Wine (Mydia)
Μύδια MydiaSay it: MEE-dhyah
Mydia simply means mussels, and in Greece they are cooked the way good seafood always is: quickly, with olive oil, garlic, white wine and lemon. This version, with a little grated tomato and plenty of parsley, is a taverna staple and a weeknight favourite in the cooler months. The broth is briny, faintly sweet and sharp with lemon — the reason a basket of bread is never far away.
Greek Mussels in White Wine (Mydia)
Μύδια, Mydia
Pronounced MEE-dhyah
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains shellfish. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Method
Tip the mussels into a colander and rinse them under cold running water, scrubbing each shell with a stiff brush and pulling away the beards. Discard any that are cracked or that stay open when you tap them sharply on the counter.
Warm the olive oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of the salt and cook, stirring, for 7–8 minutes, until soft and translucent but not browned.
Stir in the garlic, oregano and pepper flakes and cook for about 45 seconds, until fragrant and the garlic smells sweet but has not taken on colour.
Pour in the wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes, scraping the base of the pot, then add the grated tomato and the black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly and loses its raw edge.
Add the mussels, turn them in the sauce, cover and cook over medium-high heat for 5–7 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice, until the shells have opened wide and the meat is just firm.
Take the pot off the heat and remove any mussels that stayed shut. Stir in the parsley and the lemon juice, taste the broth (it is already salty from the mussels) and add the remaining salt only if it needs it.
Spoon into warm bowls with plenty of broth and the lemon wedges, and serve at once.
Regional variant: Mussels Saganaki (Mydia Saganaki)
In northern Greece the mussels are finished in a wider tomato sauce with ouzo and feta. Increase the tomato to 2 cups (480 ml) and add 1/4 cup (60 ml) ouzo along with the wine, then simmer the sauce for 10 minutes before adding the mussels. When the shells have opened, scatter 7 oz (200 g) crumbled feta over the top and run the pan under a hot grill or into a 425°F (220°C) oven for 5–8 minutes, until the cheese bubbles and browns at the edges.
Cook's notes
- Buy mussels with tightly closed, unbroken shells and cook them the day you bring them home; the tap test before cooking is the only check you need.
- Once the mussels are in, shake the pot rather than stirring so the shells stay intact.
- Do not keep cooking after the shells open, or the meat turns rubbery — pull the pot off the heat as soon as they are wide open.
Serve with
Crusty bread for the broth, and a cold Assyrtiko or a small glass of ouzo.
Make ahead and storage
Best eaten straight away; cleaned mussels can be kept covered with a damp cloth in the fridge for up to 1 day.
