Pickled Mussels
At first I thought this would be one of those recipes that wasn't worth making at home, but how wrong I was. I felt like making the escabeche, seeing the method, and checking whether I could pull off that characteristic flavor. I liked it so much that I've repeated the process about three times this summer. They go a long way and keep for several days in the fridge, so there's no excuse not to have a really tasty homemade appetizer on hand.
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) mussels
- 300 ml (1.25 cups) olive oil
- 100 ml (scant ½ cup) sherry vinegar
- 50 ml (3 tbsp + 1 tsp) white vinegar (I used rice vinegar)
- 100 ml (scant ½ cup) white wine
- 1 head of garlic (cloves separated, unpeeled)
- 1 large onion, julienned
- 3 slices of fresh ginger
- Whole peppercorns (I used allspice)
- 2-3 dried chili peppers
- 3 bay leaves
- Salt
- 2 teaspoons paprika (sweet, hot, or a mix)
Method
- Steam the mussels just until they open but stay tender. Remove the shells and beards. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a saucepan and add all the ingredients except the cooked mussels and the paprika.
- Let it simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes.
- Once the time is up, take it off the heat and add the paprika. Stir well and add the mussels.
- Put it back on the heat for a few seconds just to warm the mussels through.
- All that's left is to transfer everything to jars and they're ready to enjoy. Although it's better to leave them for a few hours so the flavors settle in nicely.
PiC Tips
- You can sterilize the jars beforehand by boiling them in water for 15-20 minutes.
- With this recipe we're not creating a true preserve since we haven't vacuum-sealed them or boiled them afterwards, so I recommend keeping them in the fridge. When you want to enjoy them, take them out of the fridge a bit ahead of time so they come to room temperature and the oil isn't so solid.
- You can add other herbs or spices to taste, depending on what you have in your pantry.
