Mejillones A La Marinera Recipe
Mussels / Tomato & Red pepper broth / Garlic / White wine / Lime / Herbs
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Ingredients
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Mussels
Marinera broth
Finishing & garnish
Method
Mussels
- 1
Clean mussels
Rinse the mussels under cold running water. Discard any with cracked shells or that remain open when tapped. Scrub shells to remove barnacles and pull off the beard (byssal threads). Place cleaned mussels in a bowl and keep chilled until ready to cook.
- 2
Season the cleaned mussels lightly with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper; set aside while you make the broth.
Marinera broth
- 3
Sweat aromatics
Heat a wide, heavy-bottomed sauté pan or shallow Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil. When shimmering, add the finely minced garlic and diced onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add the diced red bell pepper and continue to cook another 3–4 minutes until softened.
- 4
Build the tomato base
Stir in the chopped tomatoes and 1/2 cup tomato puree. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to break down and the mixture thickens slightly, about 6–8 minutes. If using whole tomatoes, mash gently with the back of a spoon.
- 5
Season and deglaze
Add 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp sweet paprika, 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1 bay leaf, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (if using), and 1/4 tsp sugar. Stir to combine. Pour in 3 tbs dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce for 1–2 minutes.
- 6
Finish broth
Add 1 cup low-sodium fish or chicken stock and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook 5 minutes to let flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Stir in 1 tbs fresh lime juice.
Cook mussels & finish
- 7
Add mussels
Increase heat to medium-high so broth is at a lively simmer. Add the seasoned mussels to the pan and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Steam until the mussels open, about 4–6 minutes. Gently shake the pan once or twice during cooking to redistribute the broth. Discard any mussels that remain closed after 6 minutes.
- 8
Enrich and garnish
Remove the pan from heat. Stir in 1 tbs unsalted butter until melted to give the broth a glossy finish. Sprinkle 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley and 2 tbs chopped cilantro (if using) over the mussels. Taste the broth and add more lime juice or salt if needed.
- 9
Serve
Ladle mussels and plenty of broth into shallow bowls. Serve immediately with crusty bread for dipping and lime wedges on the side.