Best Spicy Marinated Mussels Recipes

MUSSELS IN SPICY RED SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper, and saute until fragrant, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add the white wine and tomato sauce, increase the heat to high, cover and bring to a boil.
• Add the mussels and replace the lid. Cook over high heat 3 minutes. Remove the lid and stir once gently. Continue to cook until the mussels are completely open and firmly cooked, about 4 minutes more.
• Remove the pot from the heat and transfer the mussels gently from the pot to a large bowl with a Chinese wire mesh skimmer. Return the pot to the heat and increase the heat to high. Boil for a minute or 2, until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Pour the sauce over the mussels and serve immediately.
• Place the canned tomatoes in a large bowl and place your (clean) hands in the bowl and crush the tomatoes so they breakup into a range of small pieces.
• In a 5-quart Dutch oven heat the olive oil over medium heat until it is fragrant, but before it smokes, about 40 seconds. Add the bay leaves and stir them in the oil until they begin to brown, about 10 seconds. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until it starts to turn golden brown, then add the onions, carrots, and oregano. Cook the vegetables until they are very brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally, just enough to prevent them from scorching.
• Add the crushed tomatoes with their juice, the tomato paste, salt and pepper, and 1 1/2 cups of water, (white wine or clam juice can be added depending on the intended use) and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer, partially covered until the sauce level has reduced by 2 or 3 inches and the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Cook the sauce for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick.
• Remove from heat, cool down in the pot, then when at room temperature, transfer to a sealed plastic container and refrigerate until ready to use.
• This sauce will keep 10 days in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator.
• Using my recipe for basic Red Sauce, you can make a quick and spicy "fra diavolo" sauce that is delicious drizzled over grilled squid and other seafood. For equipment you will need a 3-quart saucepan and a wooden spoon.
• Heat the olive oil in a 3-quart saucepan slightly over medium heat and saute the garlic and crushed red pepper until the garlic is fragrant and beginning to brown, about 40 seconds.
• Add the Red Sauce, clam juice, and salt, to taste, and simmer, stirring occasionally over medium-low heat, until the sauce returns to the thickness and quantity of the Red Sauce, about 15 minutes.

SPICY MUSSELS WITH WHITE WINE

Steps:

• Heat grill to high.
• Heat oil in heavy large pot on the grates of the grill. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic, fennel seeds, crushed red pepper and salt and cook for 1 minute.
• Add wine, lemon slices, and 1/4 cup parsley; bring to boil. Add mussels. Cover pot and cook until mussel shells open, stirring once, about 6 minutes; discard any mussels that do not open. Using slotted spoon, transfer mussels to large shallow bowl. Boil broth in pot until reduced to 1 cup, about 3 minutes; season, to taste, with pepper. Pour broth over mussels. Sprinkle with tomatoes and remaining parsley.
• Brush bread on both sides with oil and season with salt. Grill until golden brown on both sides. Serve mussels with bread for dipping.

COD AND MUSSEL STEW WITH HARISSA

Steps:

• Make the harissa: In a blender or small food processor, place roasted pepper, garlic, paprika, cumin, caraway, cayenne and salt. Add 1/2 cup oil and pulse briefly to a smooth purée, making sure not to overprocess. Transfer to a bowl. (Alternatively, finely chop the roasted pepper by hand, and mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.) Set aside.
• Season fish chunks on both sides with salt and pepper, and place in a bowl. Add garlic, shallot, cumin, coriander, lemon juice, chopped cilantro and red-pepper flakes. Toss to coat evenly and leave to marinate for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Set a Dutch oven or wide heavy pot over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil. When oil is wavy, add fish chunks in one layer and let sizzle for 1 minute. Add bay leaves and tomato (and any remaining marinade) plus 1 cup water, and bring to a brisk simmer. Set mussels on top of fish chunks and cover pot. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, until mussels have opened. Turn off heat and leave covered for 5 minutes before serving.
• Divide seafood among deep plates or low soup bowls. Ladle juices from pot over each serving. Dollop each serving with about 2 tablespoons harissa. Garnish with cilantro sprigs. Pass more harissa at the table.

SPICY MUSSELS WITH MEXICAN SEASONINGS

Steps:

• Scrub and debeard the mussels.
• In a saucepan large enough to hold the mussels with room to spare heat three tablespoons of the oil. Add the onion, scallions and garlic and saute over low heat until tender.
• Add the tomatoes and jalapeno peppers and bring to a simmer. Stir in the mussels and add the wine. Return to a simmer, cover and cook over medium heat until the mussels have opened, about 10 minutes.
• Remove the mussels to individual bowls, discarding any that have not opened. Add the lime juice and coriander to the sauce, pour over the mussels and serve.

MUSSELS MARINARA DI AMORE

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, warm oil and saute garlic until transparent.
• Add tomatoes, oregano, basil and red pepper flakes to skillet; reduce heat to low to simmer for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and reserve.
• Add wine and mussels to skillet; cover and increase heat to high for 3 to 5 minutes or until mussel shells are open.
• Pour over hot pasta, sprinkle with parsley and squeeze lemon wedge over all. Garnish with remaining lemon and serve.

MARINATED MUSSELS

Steps:

• Bring white wine and onion to boil.
• Add mussels, cover and steam until mussels open, about 5 minutes.
• Discard any mussels that do not open.
• Transfer mussels to plate.
• Reserve cooking liquid in saucepan.
• Heat olive oil in skillet.
• Add minced garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
• Add seasonings and cook 1 minute.
• Add mussel cooking liquid, vinegar, paprika, lemon peel and cayenne.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour into large bowl.
• Remove mussels from shells and add to bowl; reserve 1/2 of each shell.
• Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Arrange mussel shells on platter.
• Place 1 mussel in each shell.
• Pour marinade over.
• Garnish with lemon wedges.