Best Spicy Mussels With Mexican Seasonings Recipes

SPICY SPANISH MUSSELS

Steps:

• Clean the mussels. Inspect each one carefully and discard any that have opened (if some are partly open, tap them with your finger and if they close back up they are O.K.) or have cracked shells. Place in a large bowl, fill the bowl with cold water and rinse several times, swishing the mussels around in the water, pouring out the water and refilling. Clean the shells, if necessary, with a brush or the end of one of the mussels, and pull out the beards - the hairy attachments emerging from the shells. Do not do this until just before cooking, or the mussels will die and spoil.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven, soup pot or lidded frying pan and add the hazelnuts and almonds. Cook, stirring, until the nuts are golden brown and smell toasty, and add half the garlic. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, taking care not to let it color and burn, about 30 to 60 seconds. Remove from the heat and transfer to a mortar and pestle or a mini food processor. Allow to cool, then mash or pulse until the mixture is just short of pasty; the nuts should retain some finely chopped texture. Work in 1 tablespoon of the parsley and set aside.
• Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until it is tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt, the remaining garlic and the chili and cook, stirring, for another minute, until the garlic is translucent. Add the tomatoes, a pinch of sugar and salt and pepper to taste, and turn the heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 20 to 30 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture has cooked down and is very fragrant.
• Add the white wine and saffron and bring to a boil. Add the mussels, cover and steam 4 to 5 minutes, until they open. Stir the mussels halfway through to make sure they are evenly exposed to the heat. As they open, remove to a bowl with tongs. Discard any that have not opened. Keep warm.
• Stir the nut and garlic mixture and the remaining parsley into the tomato sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning. Distribute the mussels among 4 wide soup bowls and spoon the sauce over. Serve with bread for sopping up the sauce.
• To skin hazelnuts, toast in a 300-degree oven for 20 minutes, until they begin to smell toasty. Remove from the heat and wrap in a clean dish towel. Rub the nuts in the towel and the skins will slip off. Turn the oven up to 350 degrees and roast for another 5 to 10 minutes, until light brown and toasty.

SPICY GREEN MUSSELS

Steps:

• To make a green curry paste, put cilantro, ginger, garlic, chiles, coconut, fish sauce, salt, sugar and lemon grass in a blender or food processor. Blend to a coarse paste, adding a little ice water if necessary.
• Rinse the mussels under cold water and remove the beards. Discard any mussels with broken shells, as well as any that are not tightly closed.
• Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over a medium-high flame. Add the mussels and stir well to coat. Raise the heat to high, add the broth or water, and put on the lid. Cook for 2 minutes.
• Add 1/2 cup of the green curry paste, stir well, and continue cooking for 4 to 5 minutes, until all of the mussels have opened. Sprinkle with the scallions.
• Bring the pot to the table and serve in wide soup bowls, ladling some of the broth over the mussels, along with a squeeze of lime juice. Pass the remaining green curry paste separately, if desired.

SPICY MUSSELS WITH MUSCLE AND LINGUINI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to boil for pasta. Once the pasta water is at full rolling boil, season it liberally with salt and cook pasta 1 minute less than package directions.
• Meanwhile, heat a large pot or skillet with a lid over medium-high heat with EVOO, 3 turns of the pan. Add garlic and swirl a minute. Add dollops of 'nduja and melt it down (or add the sausage and brown and crumble). Add vermouth or wine and stir a minute. Add tomatoes, oregano and mussels and cover. Cook 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, to open shells and combine flavors. Uncover.
• Drain pasta and toss with sauce and mussels, 1 minute. Add parsley, lemon and salt to taste.

MEXICAN-STYLE STEAMED MUSSELS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pot (stock pot) over medium heat.
• Add the onions, garlic, tomato, and jalapenos.
• Cook just until softened.
• Add the wine, water, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Add the mussels and cilantro and cover the pot.
• Steam for 8-10 minutes, carefully shaking the pot occasionally to shift the mussels around.
• The mussels are cooked when they are fully opened.
• Be sure to discard any mussels that do not open.
• Dish the mussels and broth out into bowls.
• Serve with fresh crusty bread or warm fresh corn tortillas for sopping up the broth.

SPICY MUSSELS WITH CHORIZO AND WINE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, cook the onions in the butter over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chorizo to the onions and cook until the sausage loses its raw color, about 5 minutes. Add the harissa and red pepper flakes, and then turn up the heat to high.
• Once fragrant, deglaze the pan with the wine, allowing to bubble for a minute. Lower the heat to medium, add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add the prepped mussels and cover to steam until the mussels open, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cream and stir. Serve immediately with plenty of sliced French bread for dipping.

SPICY STEAMED MUSSELS

Steps:

• Place 4 oregano sprigs, 4 cilantro sprigs and 1 halved jalapeno on a sheet of foil; top with 1 pound cleaned mussels. Scatter 4 tablespoons cut-up butter and 3 sliced garlic cloves over the mussels and drizzle with the juice of 2 limes (add the squeezed limes to the pack as well). Fold up the foil, leaving room for the mussels to open. Grill over high heat until the mussels open, 4 to 5 minutes.