P.e.i Mussels Recipe

Clean mussels

Place mussels in a large bowl of cold water. Discard any open mussels that do not close when tapped. Scrub shells to remove debris and remove beards by pulling toward the hinge. Drain and set aside.

Bloom saffron

In a small bowl combine saffron threads and 2 tablespoons warm water. Let steep 5–10 minutes to release color and aroma.

In a large wide pot (with a tight-fitting lid) heat the white wine and chicken/fish stock together over medium heat until just simmering. Add the bloomed saffron (including the liquid), kosher salt, and black pepper. Keep at a low simmer while you prepare the aromatics.

Cook aromatics

In a separate large sauté pan or the same pot after step above (reduce heat to medium-low), melt butter with olive oil. Add diced onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until translucent, 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add garlic, corn and jalapeño

Add the minced garlic and minced jalapeño to the softened onion and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the corn kernels and cook 2–3 minutes until corn is bright and beginning to soften.

Add tomatoes

Stir in the diced tomatoes and cook 2–3 minutes more until tomatoes release some juice but still hold shape. If using, pour in the optional heavy cream now and stir to combine; heat through but do not boil.

Combine with broth

Carefully transfer the cooked aromatics into the pot with the simmering saffron-wine broth (or if you cooked aromatics in the same pot, simply proceed). Stir to combine and adjust seasoning to taste.

Add mussels and steam

Increase heat to medium-high so the broth returns to a brisk simmer. Add the cleaned mussels to the pot in an even layer. Cover with the lid and steam for 4–6 minutes, shaking the pot gently once or twice, until mussels have opened. Discard any mussels that remain closed after cooking.

Finish with herbs

Remove the pot from heat. Stir in chopped cilantro and parsley. Taste the broth and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the mussels to brighten flavors.

Serve

Ladle mussels and broth into shallow bowls or a large serving bowl. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and crusty bread to soak up the saffron-tomato-corn broth.