Mejillones En Escabeche (t) Recipe

1. Clean mussels

Rinse the mussels under cold running water. Scrub shells to remove debris and pull off beards. Discard any mussels with cracked shells or that remain open when tapped.

2. In a large pot combine 500 ml water, 150 ml white wine and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a vigorous simmer over high heat.

3. Add the cleaned mussels to the pot, cover, and steam for 4–6 minutes, shaking the pot occasionally, until most mussels have opened. Remove from heat. Use tongs to transfer mussels to a bowl; discard any that did not open.

4. When cool enough to handle, remove mussel meat from shells, leaving about half the mussels intact if you prefer a mix of shelled and unshelled presentation. Reserve cooking liquid by straining through a fine sieve or cheesecloth and set aside.

5. In a wide shallow saucepan or skillet, warm 200 ml olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onion, carrot, red bell pepper and sliced garlic. Gently sweat the vegetables for 6–8 minutes until softened but not browned.

6. Stir in 1 tbs smoked paprika and optional 1/4 tsp hot paprika or cayenne. Cook for 30 seconds to bloom the spice, stirring constantly to avoid burning.

7. Add 120 ml white wine vinegar, 50 ml water (or some of the reserved mussel cooking liquid for extra flavor), 2 bay leaves, 6 black peppercorns, 1/2 tsp coriander seeds (if using), 1 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 3–4 minutes to meld flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning: add more salt, sugar or vinegar to achieve a balanced tangy-sweet profile.

8. Remove from heat and let the marinade cool until just warm (5–10 minutes). Stir in chopped parsley.

9. Place the prepared mussels in the sterilized jar or shallow airtight container in a single layer or gently packed layers. Pour the warm (not hot) escabeche marinade over the mussels, making sure vegetables, bay leaves and peppercorns are included. If needed, add a splash more olive oil to fully cover the mussels.

10. Allow the jar to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. Refrigerate at least 12 hours (preferably 24–48 hours) to let flavors develop. The escabeche will keep refrigerated for up to 5 days; the flavor improves after a day.

11. Before serving, bring the jar briefly to room temperature. Serve chilled or at room temperature with lemon wedges and crusty bread. Garnish with additional chopped parsley if desired.