I've been in the kitchen working on my mussels 😉 to perfect this recipe, and I think it's finally perfect! Mussels are one of my go-to menu options when dining out. Whether they're an appetizer served with crusty bread, or an entree mixed into pasta you can't go wrong. I also love them with white wine, buttery sauces, but today I'm sharing with you my favorite way to eat mussels and that's in a tomato based sauce with spicy Chorizo sausage. And lots of crusty bread.
First and foremost though I want to share with you some facts on how to find quality mussels and prepare them at home. Making them yourself can seem intimidating, but it's honestly so easy! They also cook super fast. You can get way more and for way less money preparing them at home too which is always a bonus!
- Make sure to buy them from some a place you trust with meat and seafood. I stick to grocery stores and seafood specialty stores that frequently sell a large variety of seafood (not just the most common types), as they tend to know best how to handle and store mussels and they're usually the most fresh. I actually got these from Costco, and they were the best quality mussels I've purchased in Ohio!
- When you're looking at mussels in the store, make sure they're not completely wrapped in plastic. They should be secured in a net with holes allowing the mussels to breathe (because if you didn't know, they are alive). If they have plastic wrapping over them, there should be holes to allow for this. If there's not, don't purchase them. The plastic will suffocate them. Costco did have plastic over the net, but the side was left open and they were fine.
- Inspect the mussels in the store the best you can before purchasing. You want mussels that are all completely closed and that don't have any damage or chipping to their shells. If you see open mussels, tap on them. If they close up, they are alive and still good. If they remain open, the mussel has already died and is bad. Mussels must be kept alive up until you cook them or they will be bad and can make you sick. If you see a handful of open mussels, that's okay. I've never once had a bag where every single one was alive. You'll simply throw them out. In the bag I purchased from Costco though, I only had a handful of bad ones out of pounds of good ones!
- Once you get them home, remove plastic if there is any and fill a large bowl with some ice. Put the bag of mussels on the ice and store in the fridge until you're ready to prepare them. Eat them the same day you buy them!
- When you're ready to prepare your mussels, start by giving them a salt water bath. Add some salt to a large bowl then fill with cold water. Remove your mussels from their bag and add to the water. If any are clearly dead, discard them. Let sit in the salt water bath for about 20 minutes. This helps to clean and purify the mussels.
- Clean your mussels. Remove each one from the salt and inspect. If it's open, tap to see if it closes. If it doesn't close, discard. If there is damage to the shell, discard. Rinse with cold water. Remove the "beard" which is the bristly material sticking out on one side using your fingers or a knife. Using a clean sponge, scrub the mussels shell to get rid of any sand or debris. Place in a bowl until ready to add to your recipe.
And that's it! It might feel like a lot of information, but after your first time purchasing mussels and cleaning them it's super easy. I'm always that person at the store helping random customers learn what to look for when they're buying mussels as a lot of people don't know this. 🙂
For this Mussels & Chorizo recipe you'll also need shallot, garlic, white wine, crushed tomatoes, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, heavy whipping cream, fresh parsley and fresh basil. And of course bread to serve it with.
Start by adding some olive oil to a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add your shallot and saute for a few minutes. Add garlic and saute a couple more. Throw in your Chorizo and cook through, breaking up with a spatula. Once cooked, add your white wine and simmer a couple minutes. Then pour in your crushed tomatoes.
Bring to a slight simmer and stir in your red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 6-7 minutes to allow sauce to thicken.
Add mussels and cover. Cook for 6-8 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare your bread. I usually buy a fresh baguette and slice into thick pieces. Dust each side with olive oil and then place in oven at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Once cooked the mussels should be open. Discard any that didn't open.
Turn off the heat on the burner. Stir in heavy whipping cream. Toss in parsley and basil and stir well to combine.
Serve with bread and enjoy! This also pairs great with a spicy Spanish red wine!
If you liked this recipe you might also like:
- 4 lbs mussels, scrubbed and debearded (detailed instructions in blog post)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for bread
- 1 shallot, diced
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb Chorizo sausage (ground or casings removed)
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 32 oz can crushed tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (more if you like more heat)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
- 1 loaf of French baguette to serve with
- Prepare mussels according to directions in post.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large, deep skillet heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Once warm, add shallot and saute 3-4 minutes.
- Add garlic and saute 2 more.
- Add Chorizo and cook all the way through, breaking up with spatula.
- Add white wine, stirring well. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and stir well. Bring to slight simmer.
- Stir in red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
- Turn down heat and simmer for about 6 minutes or until sauce cooks down and thickens.
- Add mussels to skillet and cover. Cook for 6-8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cut bread into desired size and brush both sides with olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Once mussels are done they should all be open. Discard any that are closed.
- Turn off heat and stir in heavy whipping cream.
- Toss in parsley and basil and stir well.
- Serve with bread.
Tammy
These mussels are to die for! I was intimidated to make them but they were actually really easy. And so much cheaper than ordering out.
Sarah Jenkins
Best mussels recipe ever!