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Restaurant Remix: Dmitri's saut�ed mussels
At least the lemons are in focus. Fuzzy Photo l Felicia D'Ambrosio
Restaurant Remix: Dmitri's saut�ed mussels
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| At least the lemons are in focus. |
| Fuzzy Photo l Felicia D'Ambrosio |
Dmitri's, the diminutive Greek BYO on the corner of Third and Catherine streets, glows like a jar full of fireflies and hums like a bee drunk on a fine vintage of honey. The octopus swims in olive oil seas and corks are popped in bouncy bubble-wrap rhythm by waitresses who squeeze through the narrow alleys between two-tops with utter aplomb.
The menu, like the cooking, is simple. Baba ghanouj and triangles of pita warm from the fire. Grilled octopus, grilled whole fish, all dressed with lemon wedges. Cioppino or seafood fettuccine in lively broth. Mussels, steamed or sautéed. Wait, sautéed mussels, you say? I'd eaten a whole ocean's worth of those tiny mollusks before ever having them served up crispy.
Each plump little mussel is freed from its shell by a quick steam, then shucked out and tossed lightly in some seasoned flour. Dmitri's calls theirs sautéed, but what you're really doing is shallow frying those suckers to get a bit of a crust on, then serving them as hot as possible with lots of lemon wedges for squeezing over.
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Recipe for Dmitri's Sautéed Mussels after the jump.
Dmitri's Sautéed Mussels
Go Get This:
3 lbs. mussels (or cheat and buy 2 cans shelled mussels)
Flour seasoned with salt, pepper, cayenne or whatever you like for dredging
About 3 tbsp. canola/peanut/vegetable oil, enough to coat the bottom of your frying pan
Lemon Wedges
Now Do This:
Rinse and de-beard your mussels. The beard is a little ugly stringy teenage-facial hair-looking thing hanging off the mussel. Grab it and yank it off. Discard any cracked, broken or open mussels. They're dead already and no good for eating.
Pour about half an inch of water in a large pot. Add mussels and cover pot. Over high heat, steam mussels just until they open. Remove from heat and transfer mussels to a large colander.
Remove mussel meat from shells by using one shell as tongs to grab out other mussels and reserve them to a smaller bowl. Don't puncture their sweet plumpness with a fork or angry tearing gestures.
Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large, shallow frying pan until hot and shimmering.
Dredge mussels in seasoned flour and remove, shaking off excess. Drop one test mussel into pan. If it sizzles, add the rest.
Shake the pan around and turn mussels over with tongs to brown and crisp evenly. Once they develop a crisp, brown crust, remove with tongs to drain on paper towels.
Serve hot with lots of lemon wedges. Eat with lots of white wine.
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