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Mussels Holiday (a festive mussels mariniere)
Mussels Holiday is a festive version of moules marinières. It’s bright, beautiful & undeniably celebratory – perfect for the holidays!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 2 - 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh PEI or New Zealand Mussels*
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 Cipollini onions or shallots about 4 tablespoons, minced
- 1 teaspoon lime zest about ½ fresh lime
- ½ cup fresh lime juice about 2 limes
- ½ cup white wine for the broth… + another ½ cup to sip
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1 – 2 tablespoons caper brine juice
- ¼ cup sliced pickled jalapenos
- ½ cup roasted red peppers sliced & chopped
- ½ - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper or more to taste
- A big handful of fresh Italian parsley ½ cup or more, chopped for garnish
- 1 fresh jalapeno seeded and sliced in rings for garnish, optional
Instructions
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In a large, lidded skillet or stock pot, add the butter and melt over medium heat.
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Then, add the minced onions and lime zest and sauté until onions are tender and translucent.
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Add the lime juice, white wine, and chicken broth, and allow to simmer (uncovered) for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
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While the broth is simmering, clean and debeard the mussels.
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Then, add capers, caper brine, jalapenos, red peppers, and crushed red pepper to the broth (reserve a little of each for garnish if you like), and stir.
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Next, gently add the mussels to the pot and cover for about two minutes. Lift the lid and check the mussels; transfer opened mussels to a covered dish and keep warm. Cover the skillet or pot again, and repeat until all the mussels have opened. Discard any mussels that remain closed after 5 – 6 minutes of steaming.
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With the cooked mussels “resting” in a warm, covered dish, turn the heat up to high and boil the broth until it reduces by roughly half.
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To serve, place the cooked mussels in bowls and ladle the steaming broth over them.
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Serve immediately with the best crusty baguette you can find and plenty of crisp, lightly chilled sauvignon blanc.
Recipe Notes
*You may need to adjust the weight and quantity of the mussels for the number of servings you need. New Zealand Mussels are generally larger than PEI Mussels, so there will be fewer shells per pound. Plan on ½ pound per person for an appetizer course, or 1 pound+ per person for a main course.
*The fact that “salt and pepper to taste” isn’t included in this recipe is intentional. This dish is definitely not for the meek - it’s got plenty of briny badness and peppery pluck, but you can certainly adjust levels and quantities to suit your preferences!
*If you're using Greenlip New Zealand Mussels, please be sure to check out the "Update" below with added information on Greenlips!