In Could, we visited the Venetian coast, the place probably the most widespread methods to serve seafood is gratinated with breadcrumbs. This preparation is very pleasant with mussels—their pure brininess is deepened by the warmth of the oven, whereas the breadcrumbs are flavored by the mussel juices, making a golden, savory crust. It’s a humble recipe, but irresistibly scrumptious.
Substances
- 12 mussels
- freshly floor black pepper
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
- 1 Tbsp minced recent flat leaf parsley
- further virgin olive oil
- 4 Tbsp dry breadcrumbs
Directions
Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan with the mussels and a halved garlic clove.
Cowl and cook dinner over medium-high warmth…
…till the mussels have simply opened. To keep away from bitterness, be certain the garlic doesn’t brown an excessive amount of; you might want to regulate the warmth or take away the garlic earlier than the mussels have totally opened.Â
Opening the mussels like this with none added water or wine will make the mussel juices further concentrated and can solely want a little bit of liquid anyway.
Drain the mussels, reserving the liquid.
As soon as the mussels have cooled sufficient to deal with comfortably, gently take away the highest shell, leaving the mussel nestled within the backside half. This creates the basic “half shell” presentation, good for gratinating.
Preheat the oven to 225C/440F.
In a small bowl, mix the dried breadcrumbs with finely minced parsley and some beneficiant grinds of black pepper.
Stir till properly blended.
Now, pour in a little bit of the reserved mussel liquid and stir till the combination is properly mixed. The purpose is to attain a creamy consistency—moist sufficient to carry collectively, however not overly moist. This steadiness ensures the topping will crisp up superbly within the oven with out turning into soggy.
Place the mussels on a baking sheet, arranging them in order that they sit steadily on their half shells. Spoon a little bit of the breadcrumb combination onto every mussel, ensuring to cowl the flesh properly. Drizzle a bit of olive oil excessive to assist the crust flip golden and crisp. Bake within the preheated oven at 225°C (440°F) for about 10 minutes, or till the topping is golden brown.
They are often served instantly whereas nonetheless sizzling, or allowed to chill barely.
