Mussels with chives vinaigrette
Mejillones con vinagreta de cebollino
by The Chef
Serves: 2
Notes:A very simple appetizer, with all the flavor of the sea, accompanied with a simple vinaigrette of oil, lemon and chives.
Directions:
- Before cooking, soak your mussels in fresh water for about 20 minutes. As the mussels breathe, they filter water and expel sand. After about 20 minutes, the mussels will have less salt and sand stored inside their shells.
- Most mussels have what is commonly called a "beard," also known as byssal threads. The beard is made of many fibers which emerge from the mussel's shell. To remove the beard, hold the mussel in one hand, cover the other hand with a dry towel, and grasp the beard; give it a sharp yank toward the hinge end of the mussel. This method will not kill the mussel. However, if you were to pull the beard out towards the mussel's opening end, you can tear the mussel, killing it. Discard the byssal threads.
- Remove the mussels from the dirty water and transfer them to another clean, cold water bowl. Don't pour the mussels and dirty water into a strainer because the sand has sunk to the bottom of the bowl, and you'd end up pouring the sand back on top of the mussels.
- Use a firm brush to brush off any additional sand, barnacles, or other oceanic attachments. Rinse the mussels under cool tap water, and set them aside. Dry with a towel before cooking.
- In a large pot we add plenty of water with a handful of salt. When the water starts to boil, add the mussels, stirring so that the water is well distributed. When the mussels open, remove from the heat and pass through a strainer to drain the water from the mussels.
- We remove the shell that does not have a mussel and discard it. We place the shell of the mussel in a fountain or bowl.
- Prepare a vinaigrette with the oil, lemon and finely chopped chives. Mix well and serve on top of the mussels.
Ingredients: - 2 Pounds of Mussels
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 10 fresh chives
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