Mussels steamed in orange & fennel
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Mussels steamed in orange & fennel
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A delicious, light and healthy recipe for mussels steamed in orange & fennel
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Ingredients
Mussels
- 4 1/2 pounds 2 kilograms fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 2 large oranges navels or juice oranges
- 1 small fennel bulb
- 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 small or 2 large shallots peeled and chopped
- A large handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped, more for garnish
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup 250 ml white wine
Gremolata garnish
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts optional
- 1 small orange
- 1 small lemon
- 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
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Instructions
- Pour the mussels into your sink and pick them over, removing and discarding any open mussels or any with a crushed shell. The rule of thumb to remember is: before cooking, discard all open mussels, after cooking discard any mussels that have remained closed.
- To remove the beard, grab the hairy strings hanging out of the closed shell and pull out and down, yanking it sharply to pull it out of the mussel. Transfer the debearded mussels to a large colander. Run the mussels under cold running water, tossing and scrubbing, to wash off any sand and impurities.
- Pare off 2 long strips of about 1 inch wide x 3 inches long of orange peel without the white pith and then juice the 2 oranges. Trim off the stems of the fennel bulb reserving about 1 tablespoon of the feathery fronds. Slice the fennel into long thin strips or matchsticks.
- Heat the olive oil in a very large pot with a lid; add the minced shallots and the fennel matchsticks along with the orange peel and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, for 3–5 minutes or until the fennel is tender and transparent.
- Add the fennel fronds, the chopped parsley, salt and pepper; add the mussels and, with a large slotted spoon, stir and toss the mussels to blend well. Pour the wine and the orange juice over the mussels and cover the pot tightly.
- Steam, tightly covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, lifting off the lid just to toss the mussels occasionally for even steaming. The mussels will gently and gradually open, and once opened let them steam for another few minutes so the meat is tender yet firm.
- Prepare the gremolata garnish while the mussels are steaming. Lightly toast the pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat with no fat, tossing and watching carefully so as to pull them off the heat immediately after they are golden brown; this should only take a minute or two. Finely zest the orange and the lemon. Toss the zests with the finely chopped parsley and the lightly toasted pine nuts in a small bowl.
- Place a large ladleful or 2 or 3 of mussels in a soup plate with some sauce for each person. Top with some of the gremolata. Serve immediately with the traditional accompaniment of French fries, the rest of the bottle of white wine, and fresh bread and butter. And make sure that there is a large empty bowl in the middle of the table for the empty shells. And plenty of napkins.
Notes
- Storage Instructions for Steamed Mussels
- Refrigeration: Transfer cooled mussels and broth to an airtight container. Store in the fridge and consume within 1–2 days.
- Reheating: Gently reheat mussels in their broth over low heat until just warmed through. Avoid boiling to prevent toughness.
- Freezing (Not Recommended): Mussels can become rubbery when frozen and reheated. If necessary, freeze only the broth and use fresh mussels when serving.
- Discard If: Mussels have an off smell, appear dry, or have broken shells. Never store mussels at room temperature.
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