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You are here: Home / Topics / Recipes / Mejillones en Escabeche, Marinated Mussels

Recipes

Mejillones en Escabeche, Marinated Mussels

mejillones_en_escabeche

The escabeche technique is one of the most traditional in Spanish gastronomy. Usually made up of olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, bay leaf and pepper, with the possible addition of herbs such as oregano and thyme, or spices such as pimentón.

Throughout Spain you can purchase mejillones in escabeche in tin cans.

My boys and I absolutely adore them.  When visiting Spain, one of the first stops we make is the corner grocer to stock up on these tasty and nourishing morsels.  In the states I usually stop by a Mexican or Bosnian grocer as they carry them imported from Spain.

As much as we love the tin variety, really… there is nothing like cooking with fresh mussels.

mejillones_2

We tend to overlook this shellfish in the United States, however, they are sweet and tender filled with protein, iron and rich Omega 3 fatty acids.  They are so versatile to cook with that as long as you don’t overcook them, you can add them in just about anything.

During the Spring time I can find wild caught, blue mussels, locally. Throughout the rest of the year I purchase them farmed from Costco.

As with related species – scallops, oysters and clams – farming methods for mussels are environmentally sound. Mussels do not rely on fishmeal or fish oil as part of their diet. Diseases are rare, so antibiotics and chemicals aren’t necessary, and the farming operation often benefits the surrounding marine habitat.

mejillones_crudo

They are one of the cheapest shellfish you can find that gives you the most nourishment for your buck.  In other words, frugal.

My favorite way of preparing them is en escabeche or simply steamed with salt and lemon juice.  If shellfish aren’t a regular part of your family’s diet, I encourage you to give them a try.  Open up your palates and try something new.

Mejillones En Escabeche

Ingredients:

  • 1-2lbs fresh mussels
  • 1/2 cup of white wine
  • 4 cloves garlic, diced
  • 2-3 bay leaves
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp Spanish paprika (dulce)
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • Salt and Pepper

Method:

1. If using fresh mussels, soak in water for 1-2 hours to remove any grit.  I usually sprinkle a bit of flour on top to help speed the process.

mejillones_nehe

2. Heat 1/2 cup of wine in a skillet.  Add the mussels removing them, into a separate bowl, as they open.  This process takes 5 to 10 minutes.  Any longer and they can get tough and chewy.

mejillones

3. Remove the mussel meat from the shell into a bowl and set aside.

4. Wipe clean the skillet and heat 1/2 cup of olive oil.  Add the garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes or slightly browned.

5. Bring the heat down to low and add the bay leaves and allow to simmer for a few minutes stirring constantly.

6. Add the paprika, dash of salt, pepper and the red wine vinegar.  Simmer for 5 minutes.

7. Allow the sauce to cool for a few minutes and pour over the mussels.

8. Allow the flavors to meld for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight before serving.

9. Since the sauce is a mixture of olive oil and vinegar, as long as the mussels are submerged under the liquid, they will preserve in the refrigerator for 2 weeks or even left out in room temperature for a few days.  The longer they have to incorporate flavors the better they taste.

¡Buen Provecho!


17 Comments

About Diana Bauman

Diana is a mother of three, proud wife, and humbled daughter of God. She finds the most joy meeting with Jesus in her organic gardens. She is completely blessed to be able to call herself a stay at home mom where she home educates her children, joyfully serves her husband, and cooks nourishing, real food, for her family. She loves connecting with people on facebook, google+, pinterest, and instagram.

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Comments

  1. The Duo Dishes says

    June 1, 2011 at 9:14 am

    It’s really interesting to see how different cultures cook with mussels. There are so many interesting and tasty looking recipes. Steamed, stewed, boiled, fried, sauteed, sweet, tangy, spicy. It’s neverending.

    Reply
  2. jose manuel says

    June 1, 2011 at 9:17 am

    Es que están de vicio,me encantan.

    Reply
  3. IAMSNWFLAKE says

    June 1, 2011 at 9:41 am

    I’m not one for seafood … I’ll let this one recipe go by!

    Reply
  4. Kelly says

    June 1, 2011 at 10:58 am

    What a wonderful recipe! I particularly like the inclusion of paprika alongside the wine and garlic…very interesting. My husband is a huge fan of mussels – thanks for the inspiration! (love your photos by the way).

    Reply
  5. Belinda @zomppa says

    June 1, 2011 at 1:03 pm

    Oh my these are beautiful! My kind of flavors.

    Reply
  6. Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts says

    June 1, 2011 at 4:17 pm

    My husband is in heaven – he LOVES muscles!

    Reply
  7. Christine @ Fresh says

    June 1, 2011 at 5:36 pm

    I still remember walking along the ocean in the bay area and stepping on beds of mussels – they were so plentiful! I must must must make this recipe, it’s perfect for summer weather with a good dry albarino!

    Reply
  8. Joan Nova says

    June 1, 2011 at 6:05 pm

    Mussels are delicious when their plump and sweet and well-seasoned as you did. I’m curious how you served them. Were they a tapa to pick on? Or part of your dinner?

    Reply
    • Diana Bauman says

      June 2, 2011 at 7:31 am

      They were a tapita Joan. We had tortilla espanola, gazpacho and mejillones… oh and a cervecita ;D

      Reply
  9. Reading (and chickens) says

    June 2, 2011 at 12:56 pm

    Mussels and oysters scare me (uh, I have a lot of phobias!). But I had no idea they were so beneficial. I’ll have to give this a try.

    Reply
  10. Jen R. (emeraldsunshine.org) says

    June 2, 2011 at 10:53 pm

    Yuuuuum. Please invite me over for dinner? 🙂

    Reply
  11. Jessie says

    June 3, 2011 at 2:04 pm

    I am honestly scared of cooking seafood, but am getting better at it!

    I would like to try this sometime this summer.

    I have a totally “newbie” question. How do you get the meat from the shell in step 3? Any tricks?

    thanks!

    Reply
  12. Peter says

    June 3, 2011 at 11:33 pm

    I love escabeche and use it all the time; mackerel and chicken are my current favorites. But mussels are great, too. I love how your sidebar is exactly the color of pimentón.

    Reply
  13. Hester aka The Chef Doc says

    August 8, 2011 at 2:49 am

    Thank you for this recipe, Diana! I adore mussels and love cooking them up for a great meal 🙂 I didn’t know about the flour tip to get grit out! I learned to sprinkle some red chili pepper flakes. Hooray for tips!

    Reply
  14. Trevor Huxham says

    January 7, 2013 at 4:01 pm

    Made this recipe a couple of weeks ago and really enjoyed how it turned out. I was pleasantly surprised when I first ate mejillones en escabeche at a fiesta a couple of months ago and have been buying them canned ever since but I loved making them totally from scratch, straight from the fishmonger. They tasted just the same and had that familiar, bright red color to them. Adding this one to the recipe collection!

    Reply
    • Diana Bauman says

      January 7, 2013 at 10:34 pm

      Thanks for the feedback, Trevor! I’m glad you liked the recipe!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 10 Spanish Tapas Recipes to Ring in the New Year! - A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa says:
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I’m Diana – mother of three, proud wife, and daughter to an amazing God. Here you’ll find an encouraging community seeking to nourish our families both physically and spiritually. You’ll find us in our kitchens, gardens, and homeschool rooms pursuing a simple life in food, faith, and family.

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