Sometimes it is important to leave a gift for your future self to enjoy and these mussels are perfect for that. They are kind of a bitch just because you have to remove all the mussels from their shells which is annoying. And there is quite a bit of chopping involved. However, the final product is a unique and delicious dish that is great as an appetizer or a whole meal.
Bivalves (clams, oysters, mussels, and scallops), if you haven't noticed are in many of my recipes. When choosing seafood, I often veer in this direction because they (most of the time) are the most sustainable! Mussels actually leave their eco systems cleaner than they were before by purifying the water. Also, unlike oysters and scallops, mussels are very cost effective. You can get a two pound bag of mussels, which is more than enough for two people, for between $5 and $8!
I am not going to pretend to know exactly what specific kind of mussels to buy. In the northeast they are mostly Maine and PEI but you rarely see a selection of mussels beyond just "mussels" at a normal fish monger, and I am someone who frequents the fish monger.
There was a special on mussels so I decided to make a huge batch of these, which you can do because they will stay good for up to 10 (TEN!!!) days in the fridge in an airtight jar.
Once you finish the mussels, the left over oil and garlic make a great salad dressing or base for a tomato sauce!
**A note on saffron. It is very expensive and I know that. This recipe calls for 1/2 a tsp, which is about .36 grams. You can get about 5 "1/2 tsp servings" out of a normal jar you buy in a grocery store for between $16 and $22. So if you're not tryna spend that, which I totally get, just omit the saffron and maybe add a pinch of turmeric for color. I have made this without the saffron and it is still so delicious and flavorful.
I adapted this recipe from a Jenny Dorsey/ Sergi de Meià recipe but after making it a few times, changed it up a little and pared it down a lot for these fun and uncomplicated tapas treat!
Ingredients:
2 lbs mussels
1 small shallot
6 - 8 cloves of garlic
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp saffron ** (optional, see note)
1 tsp salt
1.5 tsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp ancho chili powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 cup champagne or white wine vinegar (I usually use a mixture of the two but you can def sub in rice wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, and red wine vinegar - in that order)
For Serving:
Bread
Roasted garlic
Method:
Clean and de-beard mussels. Farmed mussels don't really require this. Discard any mussels that are obviously cracked.
Steam your mussels: In a large pot, put about an inch of water and bring to a light boil. Add mussels, replace lid and cook for 4-6 minutes. Timing can vary based on size of mussels and size of pot and the mood your stove is in of course. They are done when they have all (or almost all) opened.
Drain the liquid from the mussels. This is great to save and add to any fish stock you have or use as a base for a seafood sauce or a seafood risotto. Also great in a bloody mary or a martini.
Allow mussels to cool completely, transferring them to another bowl if you are short on time.
In the meantime, make the marinade. Slice the shallot and garlic thinly. In a small pot, heat the oil over low and add shallots and garlic. Allow that to cook and soften for 4 minutes.
Add the saffron, salt, paprika, chili powder (ancho and regular) and the tomato paste. Whisk to combine.
Remove pot from heat and add vinegar. Stir to combine. Allow to cool slightly while you "shuck" the mussels.
Ensure the mussels are cool enough to handle comfortably and take all the little bodies out of the shells. This part is a pain and it takes a bit of time. If anyone has a trick, let me know.
Place all the mussels (without their shells) into a large mason jar with a lid.
Pour vinegar mixture over mussels. Replace the lid and turn over a few times to fully combine.
Now we wait! You can eat your mussels after 20 ish hours but 48 hours is ideal. Store in the fridge and every so often (like once or twice a day) flip the jar back and forth to mix it up.
Serving suggestion: these are great on their own as a little appetizer but are really especially great if you have a pice of toasted bread. And even more especially great if you take a little roasted garlic and shmeer it over the bread and then place mussels. Top with chopped cilantro.
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