Moules Escabèche Recipe

Rinse mussels under cold water, scrub shells and remove beards. Discard any mussels with cracked shells or that do not close when tapped. Toss mussels with 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tbsp olive oil and the juice of half the lemon; set aside.

Place a large heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Add half of the escabèche marinade liquid ingredients (see next section) when instructed below and proceed to steam the mussels there — see Escabèche marinade step 3 for timing and assembly so all components are hot when combined.

Prepare vegetables and aromatics

Thinly slice the shallots, garlic, fennel (if using) and red pepper. Warm 4 tbsp olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add sliced shallots and fennel and sweat gently until softened and translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add sliced red pepper and cook 2 minutes more. Add sliced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds—do not brown.

Build the escabèche

In a saucepan combine 1 cup dry white wine, 1 cup water, 3 tbsp white wine vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp fine sea salt, 1 tsp whole black peppercorns and 2 bay leaves. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Add the softened vegetables and aromatics to the simmering liquid, along with 3 sprigs of fresh thyme. Simmer gently for 3 minutes to marry flavors, then remove from heat and stir in 2 tbsp chopped parsley and 1 tbsp olive oil. Keep warm while you steam the mussels.

Once the escabèche is warm and the mussels are ready (see Mussels section), add the steamed mussels directly into the warm escabèche pan, toss to coat and let sit off heat for 5–8 minutes so mussels absorb the pickled flavors. Discard any remaining unopened mussels.

Make a garlic paste by finely mincing or crushing 2 garlic cloves with a pinch of salt and scraping into a small bowl.

In a medium bowl whisk together 2 room-temperature egg yolks, 1 tsp Dijon mustard and 1 tbsp lemon juice until homogeneous and slightly thickened.

Begin emulsifying by whisking while adding oils in a slow steady stream: first add 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil drop by drop, then gradually add the neutral oil in a thin steady stream until the mixture thickens and holds. If the emulsion begins to separate, add 1 tsp warm water and whisk vigorously to bring it back together.

Whisk the garlic paste into the mayonnaise, season with 1/2 tsp fine sea salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust lemon or salt as needed. Refrigerate until ready to serve. For a lighter version, fold 2–3 tbsp plain yogurt into the finished aioli (optional).

Steam the mussels: Using the large pot mentioned earlier, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high. Add 1/2 cup of the prepared escabèche liquid (or 1/2 cup dry white wine) and bring to a rapid simmer. Add the prepared mussels, cover and steam until shells open, about 4–6 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice during cooking. Remove mussels as they open with tongs into the warm escabèche pan.

After mussels have sat 5–8 minutes in the warm escabèche, transfer them to a shallow serving dish with plenty of the marinade and vegetables. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tbsp chopped parsley and microgreens.

Serve with garlic aïoli on the side, toasted bread or crostini, and lemon wedges. Guests can dip mussels in aïoli or spread aïoli on bread and top with mussel and escabèche juices. Serve immediately.