This recipe is a classic of the Spanish Cuisine. It’s economical and easy to prepare and tastes absolutely delicious with a crispy baguette or fresh white bread and a cool glass of Galician Albariño white wine. These Mussels also taste amazing with spaghetti.
Mussels are not only cheap; they are also extremely healthy. They are a wonderful, natural source of protein, iron and vitamin B12, they are almost fat free and have very few saturated fatty acids, making them an effective weapon against cholesterol and protecting our cardiovascular system.
In addition, mussels have a very positive effect on the environment and marine fauna, acting as a natural filter and ensuring the balance of the marine ecosystem.
Galicia, in North West Spain, and its mussel farms, has now become the largest producer of mussels in the Iberian Peninsula and it is easy to find them cooked, vacuum sealed and ready to eat in many supermarkets and specialised delicatessen.
You can make this recipe using fresh mussels from a reliable fishmonger or if you prefer the quick version, you can also buy the ready cooked and vacuum sealed mussels.
In any case, have fun cooking and enjoying this very simple, but very delicious and healthy dish!
Serves 2:
1 kg Mussels fresh or cooked in their shells, vacuum sealed and ready to eat
1 onion finely cut
3 cloves of garlic finely sliced
1 tablespoon of white flour
1/2 tablespoon of mild paprika
1/2 glass of white wine (suggestion: a Ribeiro white wine)
1 glass of the stock from the cooked mussels or from the ready-cooked mussels
1 pinch of sea salt
5 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil - Picual variety.
1 handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
If you go for the ready-cooked mussels, skip steps 1 to 4 and go straight to step 5
1) Wash the mussels, remove the beards and discard any that are already open.
2)Place mussels in a pan and add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and steam for 3 -4 minutes, shaking the pan until the mussels have opened.
3)Leave to cool and discard the unopened ones.
4)Strain the cooking juices and save to use as part of the stock.
Follow the recipe from here if you have ready-cooked mussels:
5)Discard the shell without the meat, leaving the shell with the meat aside.
6)Put the olive oil in a pan, heat and slowly fry the onion and garlic.
7)Add the flour and fry for another minute, stirring continuously.
8)Add the mild paprika, stir and immediately pour the wine and mussel stock and stir to obtain a thicker consistency. Leave to simmer for 2 minutes.
9)Now add the mussels, bring to boil.
10)Sprinkle with roughly chopped fresh parsley.
11)Serve warm with fresh crispy white bread.
Serving suggestion: These mussels are also delicious with spaghetti and pesto.
¡Qué aproveche!
Bon appetit!