Midye Tavasi
Mussels are plentiful in the northern Bosphorus straight and the shores where it opens into the Black Sea. Musselmen harvest and clean them daily for sale in the fresh fish markets throughout the city. Known as ‘midye tava’ (mid-YEAH’ TAH’-vah), these crispy snacks on a stick are sold by street vendors in seaside neighborhoods throughout Istanbul like Ortaköy, Yeşilköy and Kumkapı. The mussels are battered and fried in a huge metal cauldron with the hot oil in the center and a wide edge to arrange the sticks of cooked mussels. The edge serves to drain the excess oil as well as keep the mussels warm. You can have your mussels as is with a dollop of tangy ‘tarator’ sauce for dipping, or you can have your mussels between crusts of Turkish bread as a sandwich.
Adapted from From Tapas to Meze by Joanne Weir
Ingredients:
• 1½ cups all purpose flour
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 egg, separated
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ¾ cup beer
• 2 pounds mussels (about 40 mussels)
• Vegetable oil for deep-frying
• Tarator sauce for serving
• Lemon wedges and parsley sprigs for garnish
Preparation:
For the batter, sift 1 cup flour and ½ teaspoon salt together. Make a well in the center and add the beaten egg yolk, olive oil and beer. Whisk mixture well but not to the point where it gets stringy. Let the batter rest for an hour at room temperature.
Scrub the mussels well and place in hot water. As the mussels just begin to open, use a knife to open them completely. Remove the mussels from their shells and throw out the shells. Keep the mussels in the fridge till you are ready for them.
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep saucepan to 375F.
Beat the egg white stiffly and fold into the batter. Toss the mussels in the remaining 1/2 cup flour and tap off extra flour, so they are just coated. Dip the mussels in the batter and deep fry a few at a time, 1-2 minutes or until golden, turning to brown them evenly.
Remove and drain on paper towels.
Garnish with lemon and parsley and eat immediately with the garlic and pine nut sauce.
Tarator (Turkish Nut Sauce):
Tarator, a rich, smooth mixture made from nuts, bread, water, olive oil, garlic and lemon, is served throughout Turkey as a dip with pita bread and vegetables, or as a sauce for fish , shellfish and grilled meats. It is thick and creamy without the addition of any eggs or dairy; this dip relies on the combination of nuts, bread and oil for its velvety texture. The best part about it, aside from being versatile and tasting so good, is that it is incredibly easy to make; all the ingredients are simply processed in a food processor or blender until smooth.
• 2 slices white sandwich bread (remove crust) moistened in 1/2 cup of water
• 1 ½ cups blanched almonds (or hazelnuts, pine nuts, or walnuts), toasted
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons juice from
• 1 lemon, plus extra as needed
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Place the bread in a bowl and pour the water over it to moisten. Squeeze excess water out, and process the soaked bread, nuts, oil, lemon juice, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and cayenne in a food processor until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add additional water as needed until the sauce is just thicker than the consistency of heavy cream. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. Serve at room temperature.