Pei Mussels Recipe

1. Prepare mussels

Rinse the PEI mussels under cold water, discard any that are cracked or remain open when tapped. Remove beards if present. Place cleaned mussels in the refrigerator until ready to cook.

2. Cook chorizo and aromatics

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large wide sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced/diced chorizo and cook 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it releases oil and begins to brown. Remove chorizo with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil if pan looks dry. Add the diced onion and cook 4–5 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.

3. Build the tomato broth

Add the tomato paste and cook 1 minute, stirring to coat the aromatics. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, white wine, and stock. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let it reduce 5–7 minutes so flavors concentrate. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning—if tomatoes are very acidic, a pinch of sugar may be added (optional).

4. Finish and steam mussels

Return the cooked chorizo to the pan along with roughly 3/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley. Increase heat to medium-high until the broth is simmering briskly. Add the cleaned mussels in an even layer, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, and steam for 4–6 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice, until nearly all mussels have opened. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer opened mussels to a serving bowl as they open. Discard any mussels that remain closed after 6 minutes.

5. Concentrate sauce

If the broth is too thin, remove mussels to a bowl, keep warm, and simmer the sauce uncovered for 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly and intensify flavor. Stir in the remaining chopped parsley and taste for seasoning. Spoon the sauce over the mussels in the serving bowl and finish with a squeeze of lemon and extra parsley garnish.

6. While the mussels simmer, heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high. Brush both sides of the bread slices lightly with olive oil. Grill 1–2 minutes per side until nicely charred and crisp. Immediately rub the warm grilled bread with the cut side of the garlic clove and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Keep warm in a low oven or on a tray covered with foil.

7. To serve, ladle mussels and plenty of tomato-chorizo broth into shallow bowls, arrange grilled bread on the side (or serve bread slices topped with mussels and spooned broth). Offer lemon wedges and extra parsley. Enjoy by dipping the bread into the flavorful broth.