Grilled Seafood & Local Mussels Recipe

Prepare marinade

Peel and finely mince the garlic. In a medium bowl whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, minced garlic, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1 teaspoon honey (if using). Set aside 3 tablespoons of the mixture in a small bowl to use as a finishing basting sauce.

Reserve remaining marinade for brushing the seafood before and during grilling. Keep marinade chilled if not using within 30 minutes.

Clean mussels

Rinse the mussels under cold running water. Discard any with cracked shells or that do not close when tapped. Scrub shells with a brush and remove any beards by pulling toward the hinge. Place cleaned mussels in a bowl in the refrigerator until ready to steam.

Steam mussels

In a large pot over medium-high heat melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add 1/2 cup dry white wine and bring to a simmer. Add mussels, cover tightly and steam for 4–6 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice, until most mussels have opened. Remove pot from heat. Using tongs, transfer opened mussels to a bowl, reserving the cooking liquid. Discard any mussels that remain closed. Strain the reserved liquid through a fine sieve and set aside 1/4 cup to drizzle over finished mussels.

Preheat grill

Preheat gas or charcoal grill to medium-high (about 400–450°F / 200–230°C). Clean and oil the grates well to prevent sticking.

Prepare seafood for grill

Pat shrimp, scallops and fish pieces dry with paper towels. Lightly brush each piece with olive oil and season with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Thread shrimp and scallops onto skewers (if using wooden skewers, soak them 30 minutes beforehand). Brush each piece with the marinade you set aside.

Grill seafood

Place fish pieces skin-side down if skin-on, or presentation side down. Grill fish 3–4 minutes per side (depending on thickness) until opaque and flaky. Grill shrimp 2–3 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through. Grill scallops 1.5–2 minutes per side until golden and opaque. Turn only once when good grill marks form. During grilling, brush with remaining marinade once or twice but do not over-sauce to avoid flare-ups.

If you prefer, place mussels in a grill-safe pan, add the reserved 1/4 cup mussel cooking liquid and 1 tablespoon butter, cover with foil and warm on the grill for 2–3 minutes just to heat through and pick up slight char flavor.

Assemble

Arrange grilled fish, shrimp and scallops on a warm platter. Nestle the steamed mussels alongside. Spoon any pan juices from the mussel warming step over the mussels and drizzle the 3 tablespoons of reserved basting sauce lightly over all seafood.

Finish

Dot 1 tablespoon butter across the seafood so it melts, sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt evenly over everything. Serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing.

Suggested accompaniment: crusty bread to soak up juices or a simple green salad. Leftovers: refrigerate in an airtight container up to 24 hours; reheat gently to avoid overcooking.