Island Creek Mussels Littleneck Recipe

Clean

Inspect mussels and littlenecks, discarding any with cracked shells or that do not close when tapped. Rinse under cold running water, scrubbing shells as needed. Remove beards from mussels by pulling toward the hinge. Place cleaned shellfish in a bowl with 1 cup cold water and a tablespoon of salt for 10 minutes to purge any sand, then drain and rinse again.

In a large, heavy-bottomed sauté pan or wide pot with a lid, heat 3 tbs olive oil and 2 tbs butter over medium heat until the butter foams.

Add the diced onion and chopped shallot and sweat gently until translucent and soft, about 5–6 minutes. Do not brown.

Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Increase heat to medium-high and pour in 3 cups dry white wine. Bring to a simmer and reduce by about one-third, roughly 6–8 minutes; this concentrates flavor and burns off alcohol.

Stir in 3/4 cup fish stock or clam juice, then add the fresh lemon juice and 1 tbs white wine vinegar. Season the broth lightly with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust — remember the clams will add more salinity as they open.

Bring the broth to a rolling simmer. Add the cleaned littleneck clams first, cover, and steam for 2 minutes to start opening. Then add the mussels, give the pan a quick shake to distribute, cover, and cook until all shells have opened, 4–6 minutes more. Shake the pan occasionally for even cooking.

Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer opened shellfish to a warmed shallow bowl, leaving the cooking liquid in the pot. Discard any shellfish that remain tightly closed after 6–7 minutes.

Reduce the cooking liquid over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes if it seems thin, to concentrate flavor. Stir in chopped parsley, chopped oregano (if using), lemon zest, and 1 tbs finishing olive oil. Adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon if needed.

Pour the hot escarchegyp-style broth over the bowl of mussels and littlenecks so shells sit in the fragrant liquid. Scatter remaining parsley on top and drizzle a little extra olive oil. Serve immediately with grilled bread and lemon wedges for squeezing.

Place 2–3 slices of toasted bread per serving alongside bowls of shellfish and broth. Encourage diners to spoon broth over bread or dip bread directly into the bowl. Provide extra lemon wedges at the table.