Riso, Cozze e Patate
by Executive Chef Francesco Greco, Cape Sienna Hotel & Villas – Kamala
A traditional dish from Italy’s Puglia region, Riso, Cozze e Patate celebrates the simplicity of southern coastal cooking — rice, mussels, and potatoes baked gently in olive oil and white wine. At Cape Sienna Hotel & Villas, Chef Francesco Greco recreates this classic with quiet elegance, turning rustic ingredients into a Mediterranean experience that feels both homely and refined.
Ingredients (Serves Four)
1 kg black mussels, preferably Mediterranean
500 g Italian rice (Vialone Nano)
400 g fresh potatoes
60 ml extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves fresh garlic
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 glass white wine (for cooking)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preparation
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Heat a spoonful of olive oil in a large skillet with two cloves of garlic, skin on and cracked open.
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Add cleaned mussels and white wine, cover, and cook until mussels open.
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Remove from heat, cool, and gently remove meat from shells. Discard shells and filter the resulting liquid.
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Bring the mussel liquid to a boil, adjusting seasoning by adding a little salt or water as needed.
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In a pot, heat the remaining oil and toast the rice lightly. Add diced potatoes (5 mm) and pour in the mussel liquid. Simmer without stirring for exactly 11 minutes.
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Add the mussel meat and simmer for another 5 minutes.
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Turn off the heat, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley.
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Cover and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
