Mussels Oreganata
Makes 12 or 28 mussels on the half shell
Serve these mussels as a hot antipasto or as a part of a Seven Fishes Christmas Eve feast. The shellfish can be cleaned and the recipe prepared in advance and chilled or even frozen, then cooked right before serving. Use fresh oregano or dried oregano that is still pungent and flavorful. Get in the habit of tasting your previously opened spices in the cabinet before cooking to make sure they haven’t been there too long, especially when they will be the main ingredient in a dish!
INGREDIENTS
- 15 large or 30 small mussels (1½ pounds/698 g), cleaned (see Aspetta, opposite)
- ½ cup (120 ml) white wine
- 1 cup (105 g) dried breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 fresh hot red pepper, such as Calabrian, Fresno, or serrano, halved, seeded, and minced (2 tablespoons)
- ¼ cup (15 g) minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano or 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- Kosher salt if desired
- Lemon wedges for serving
DIRECTIONS
- Combine the mussels and wine in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid. Cover and steam over high heat until the shells open, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer them to a baking sheet as they open. Some may take longer than others; discard any that don’t open. Remove the pot from the heat and strain the broth through a cheesecloth-lined colander into a bowl; reserve. Pull off and discard one half of each shell and leave the meat in the other half shell.
- Combine the breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic, red pepper, parsley, oregano, lemon juice, and ½ cup (120 ml) of the strained cooking liquid in a large bowl. Let the mixture stand for 5 to 7 minutes to hydrate the breadcrumbs, then stir in the olive oil. Taste for salt (some seafood is saltier than others) and season if desired.
- Preheat the broiler. Lay the mussels in their shells on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan. Spoon the stuffing over the mussels. Drizzle a little olive oil and some of the remaining cooking broth over each one. Broil until the stuffing is golden and bubbling, 3 to 5 minutes; keep a close eye on the mussels to avoid burning the topping. Serve warm, with lemon wedges for squeezing over top.
PANTRY
Need help with the ingredients? Check our pantry list:
cook's note
Variation: Clams can be swapped for the mussels: if they are large, chop the meat after steaming them; smaller ones can be left whole.
