Grand Opening
Mussels appear in a host of easy preparations with big flavor.
Relative to oysters, clams, and fresh scallops, mussels are the bargain bivalves. But, price aside, their flavor -- sweet and briny -- is the real reason to love mussels. As a basic dish, steamed mussels are quick and simple, not to mention almost infinitely variable.
For instance, in the Steamed Mussels recipe below you can enrich the broth by substituting 2 tablespoons of butter for the oil or adding about ¾ cup of heavy cream at the end. Or scrap this recipe entirely and steam the mussels in beer or dry cider, flavored with onions and bacon, or in coconut milk with any combination of Southeast Asian flavorings.
Aromatic Steamed Mussels
Serves 6
Freeze any leftover broth to use for your next pot of chowder or other fish soup.
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon fennel seeds, bruised
1 teaspoon minced fresh or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
2 large bay leaves
Salt
2 cups dry white wine
6 pounds mussels, rinsed or scrubbed, and debearded
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
In a large Dutch oven (preferably 8 quarts or more) set over medium heat, heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until just translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, crushed red pepper, fennel, thyme, bay leaves, and ¾ teaspoon of salt, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine, increase the heat to high, and bring it to a boil. Add the mussels, reduce the heat to medium-high, cover the pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mussels open, about 7 minutes (discard any mussels that do not open after 9 minutes). Add the lemon juice and the parsley to the pot and mix to combine.
Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning with lemon juice and salt, if necessary, and serve at once in wide soup plates with plenty of bread.
Spaghetti with Mussels, Linguica, and Tomato Sauce
Serves 6
6tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound linguica, sliced into thin half-moons
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 anchovy fillets, minced
2 large bay leaves
¾cup dry white wine
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
4 pounds mussels, rinsed or scrubbed, and debearded
Salt and pepper
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh basil (optional)
1 pound spaghetti or linguine
In a large Dutch oven (preferably 8 quarts or more) set over medium heat, heat 3 tablespoons of oil until it shimmers. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add linguica and continue cooking, stirring often, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, anchovy, and bay leaves, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 40 seconds. Add wine, increase heat to medium-high, and cook until wine reduces by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is very thick, about 7 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves, add mussels, cover pot, reduce heat to medium, and cook until they open, about 7 minutes (discard any that do not open after 9 minutes). Use a slotted spoon to transfer the mussels to a large bowl, cover loosely with foil, and set aside. Off heat, add ¾ teaspoon salt, pepper to taste, most of the parsley, basil (if using), and remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the sauce and stir to mix.
Meanwhile, following package directions, cook pasta and 1 tablespoon salt until al dente. Drain pasta, immediately add to pot with the tomato sauce, and toss to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Transfer pasta to a warmed serving bowl, top with mussels, sprinkle with remaining parsley, and serve at once.
Potato and Mussel Salad with Mustard-Caper Vinaigrette
Serves 6
2½tablespoons white wine vinegar
¼ cup grainy mustard
¼ cup capers, drained
2 medium shallots, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
½teaspoon minced fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds red-skinned potatoes (2 to 3 inches in diameter), cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
4 pounds mussels, rinsed or scrubbed, and debearded
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
In a medium nonreactive bowl, mix vinegar, mustard, capers, shallots, thyme, and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil. Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and the potatoes, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until potatoes are tender but not mushy when poked with tip of a paring knife, about 7½ minutes. Drain, then immediately arrange potatoes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, re-whisk the dressing, drizzle three-quarters of it over the potatoes, and rest them until cool, about 20 minutes.
Add ½ cup water to Dutch oven, return to high heat, and bring to boil. Add mussels, cover pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mussels open, about 7 minutes (discard any that do not open after 9 minutes). Remove the cover and, off heat, allow the mussels to cool for a few minutes. Remove the meats from shells (you should have about 2 cups of mussel meats) and place in a large bowl. Discard shells. With a flexible spatula, scrape potatoes into bowl with mussels; add celery, parsley, and remaining dressing, and mix gently to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary, and serve.
Send comments or suggestions to Adam Ried at cooking@globe.com. 