Limford Blue Mussels With Dill & Baltic Sea Sprats Smoked Over Recipe

Check and clean mussels

Rinse the mussels under cold running water. Discard any mussels that remain open after a firm tap. Scrub shells to remove debris and trim beards with a knife. Place cleaned mussels in a bowl in the refrigerator until ready to cook.

Prepare sprats

If whole smoked sprats are oily and large, split them lengthwise and remove large bones if preferred (you can leave small bones - they soften when cooked). Pat sprats dry with paper towel and set aside.

Sweat aromatics

In a wide, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add the olive oil and 3 tablespoons butter. When butter foams, add the diced onion and minced shallots. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until translucent and softened, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and continue cooking 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Add sprats and deglaze

Add the smoked sprats to the pot and break them up lightly with a spoon to release oils and smoky flavor. Cook 1–2 minutes, then pour in the dry white wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape any browned bits and let the wine reduce by about half, 3–4 minutes.

Build the broth

Add the fish or vegetable stock, bay leaf, whole peppercorns, and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and add half of the chopped dill (reserve the rest for finishing). Simmer 3 minutes to marry flavors.

Steam mussels

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the cleaned mussels to the simmering broth, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and steam until mussels open, about 4–6 minutes. Shake the pot once or twice during cooking to turn mussels and ensure even steaming. Discard any mussels that do not open.

Enrich and adjust

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the opened mussels to a warm bowl, leaving the broth in the pot. If you want a silkier broth, stir in the heavy cream and the cold cubed butter, whisking off the heat to slightly thicken and emulsify the sauce (sauce should become glossy). Taste and adjust seasoning with extra lemon juice or salt as needed.

Combine and warm

Return the mussels to the pot briefly to warm through and coat them in the broth, 30–60 seconds. Tear or flake any larger sprat pieces back into the broth/mussels so the smoky fish is distributed.

Ladle mussels and broth into warmed bowls. Sprinkle the reserved chopped dill and fresh dill fronds over each serving. Serve with lemon wedges and crusty bread or boiled new potatoes to soak up the broth.

Optional plating note: For an extra smoky accent, warm a small nonstick skillet until hot and briefly char a few sprat fillets 20–30 seconds per side, then place on top of the mussels as a garnish.