Prep Time 5 minutes - Total Time 30 minutes - Serves 4 as a starter or 2 for lunch.
So this recipe brings back memories of my uncle Carlos’s restaurant in Spain. Out of all the wonderful dishes he made, this was one that we had to have every time we visited.
The only thing that I’ve done different is added the crispy breadcrumbs for the extra texture. If you like mussels I’m sure you will love this recipe.
Ingredients
1kg of live mussels, scrubbed and bearded.
1 onion, finely diced.
70ml of white wine.
20g of panko breadcrumbs.
1 lemon, zest only.
A bunch of fresh parsley or chives, roughly chopped.
Aioli Ingredients
1 large free-range egg.
100ml sunflower oil.
1 or 2 garlic cloves.
Juice of half a lemon.
Pinch of salt.
Method
In a frying pan over a medium to low heat add a splash of olive oil. Add the onions, season and cook till the onions start to go soft, around 5 minutes.
Now turn the heat right up and throw in the mussels along with the wine. Pop a lid on and give it a good shake. Cook for around 5 minutes, giving the pan a little shake every so often. Once the mussels have opened drain and allow to cool. Discard any that remain closed.
Next, make the aioli. To do this put all the ingredients into a jug. Use a handheld blender at the lowest speed and whizz for around 20 seconds without moving it. Once everything comes together and starts to thicken, at this point you can start to move the blender up and down. Continue to mix till you get a nice thick consistency. Once done check the seasoning and put it to one side.
Take the mussels and remove one side of each shell. Spread them out onto a baking tray and add a dollop of aioli on each one. Now pop into a preheated oven set at 200° for 7-10 minutes or till the aioli turns a nice golden colour.
While the mussels are baking stick a nonstick pan over a medium to low heat and add a small splash of oil. Add the panko and toast till crispy and golden. Remove from the pan and mix with the herbs and the lemon zest. Once the mussels are out of the oven sprinkle with the crispy panko and enjoy.
**Important Cleaning Tips**
Please be careful when cooking with raw mussels, they MUST be alive at the time of cooking. Place the mussels in a colander and give them a good wash under cold running water. Use the back of a knife to scrape off any barnacles, give them a scrub if need be, and pull the mussels beards off. Once cleaned check the mussels are all closed. If any are open give them a tap on the shell and if they close they are alive. If they stay open, throw it in the bin as it’s dead and you don’t want to eat one.
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