Grilled mussels with lemon gremolata
I have been privileged to volunteer at the Portarlington Mussel Festival for the past fifteen years, with the last twelve spent conducting cooking demonstrations. I have also had the chance to get to know one of the farmers, Jennifer from Mr Mussel, who has taught me a lot about these amazing creatures.
Blue mussels are farmed on ropes suspended metres above the seabed. They feed on algae in the water. No chemical or feed inputs are required at sea, and the growing process helps reduce nutrient levels in our bays. In Victoria, farming began in the 1970s.
Fresh mussels can be stored in the fridge for 7–10 days. Keep them covered with a damp tea towel, changing it every 2–3 days.
When preparing mussels, allow them to rinse in a sink of cool water for about 10 minutes. This helps them open and release some of the seawater and grit.
De-bearding a mussel can be done the hard way or the easy way.
The hard way — holding the mussel with the pointy end facing up, take hold of the beard and sharply pull it downwards. You can then steam them before adding the mussels to your prepared sauce.
The easy way — steam the mussels open in a cold, empty pan over medium heat (3–5 minutes). The beards can then be easily removed with a gentle tug.
Any liquid left in the pan after steaming the mussels can be strained through a fine mesh strainer and kept in the freezer. This mussel stock is perfect for risottos or paella.
Many people believe that any mussels that do not open during cooking need to be thrown out and not eaten. This is TOTALLY INCORRECT. All the mussels in the pan are dead — you’ve just cooked them! What matters is whether they were alive and healthy before cooking. Mussels that have been dead for a while before cooking can spoil and become unsafe to eat. These are the ones to avoid. Discard any mussels with broken shells or any that are open and do not close when tapped on the bench, as they were likely dead before cooking. The mussels that remain are fresh and safe to prepare. The ones that don’t open when cooked are usually the largest. Not liking the hot environment of the pan, they clamp down tightly and steam in their own juices. Be careful when opening these mussels with the point of a sharp knife, as the shell will often contain hot water that can scald you.
This recipe is one of my favourites to demonstrate at the mussel festival. You can steam the mussels the day before and store them half-shelled in the fridge. Then, when guests arrive, pop on the gremolata and place them under the grill for 3–4 minutes. You’ll have a fabulous appetiser to serve with drinks, as an entrée, or even as a main course. So versatile and so delicious!
Serves 4 (main), 8 (entrée)
- 1.5 kg mussels (approx 40)
- 1½ cups fresh breadcrumbs
- 4 tbl grated parmesan
- 3 tbl grated lemon zest (approx 2 lemons)
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 tbl finely chopped fresh parsley
- 80 ml olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Soak the mussels in fresh water for 10 minutes.
Place the mussels in a single layer in a large pan with a tight-fitting lid. You may need to do this in batches. Steam the mussels open in the pan, covered with the lid. As they open, remove them to a bowl.
Once the mussels have cooled enough to handle, de-beard them and separate the shells. Place the half-shell containing the mussel onto a grill tray.
Combine all remaining ingredients in a bowl and mix well. You should be able to form a ball of mixture in your hands.
Place a spoonful of mixture onto each mussel, ensuring it is covered.
Place the grill tray under a hot grill until the gremolata is golden, approximately 3–4 minutes.
Serve immediately with a crisp salad.
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