Mussels On The Half Shell Recipes

CURRY-MARINATED MUSSELS ON THE HALF SHELL

Steps:

• In a large bowl stir together curry paste, curry powder, vinegar, and 4 tablespoons oil. Scrub mussels and remove beards. Mince shallots and cut carrot, celery, and bell pepper into 1/4-inch dice. In a 12-inch skillet heat remaining tablespoon oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and saut vegetables, stirring and adding salt to taste, until slightly softened but not browned. Add vegetables to curry mixture. In skillet steam mussels in 1/4 cup water, covered, over moderately high heat, 3 to 8 minutes, checking occasionally after 3 minutes and transferring them as they open to another bowl. Discard any unopened mussels.
• Remove mussels from shells and add to curry-vegetable mixture, gently tossing to coat. Wash and reserve half of each shell. Marinate mussels, covered and chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
• Just before serving, chop cilantro and stir into mussels. Fill each reserved shell with a mussel and some curried vegetables.

MUSSELS ON THE HALF SHELL WITH RAVIGOTE SAUCE

Steps:

• Cook mussels in wine, covered, in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until mussels just open wide, checking frequently after 4 minutes and transferring open mussels to a shallow baking pan using a slotted spoon. (Discard any mussels that remain unopened after 8 minutes.) When cool enough to handle, detach meat and discard 1 half shell from each mussel. Reserve meat and remaining shells.
• Peel and halve egg, then force it through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl using back of a spoon. Whisk in oil, vinegar, onion, capers, mustard, parsley, chervil, chives, salt, and pepper until sauce is combined well. Add mussels, stirring to coat, then chill mussels in sauce, covered, at least 1 hour.
• Arrange half shells on a large platter and spoon a mussel with some sauce into each shell.

BROILED MUSSELS WITH GARLICKY HERB BUTTER

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse together parsley, garlic, salt and pepper until finely chopped. Pulse in butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons Pernod until mixture is combined. Scrape into a bowl.
• In a soup pot with a tightfitting lid, combine mussels, 1/4 cup pastis and 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until mussels have opened, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer mussels to a bowl until cool enough to handle; remove meat from the shells (reserving shells) and transfer to a bowl.
• Pry apart mussel shells and arrange half the shells on one or two large baking sheets; discard remaining shells. Place one mussel in each shell. Top each with a small spoonful of herb butter and a sprinkling of bread crumbs. Mussels may be made up to 1 day ahead up to this point; wrap baking sheets and mussels in plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to serve, heat broiler to high and arrange a rack 4 inches from the heat. Transfer tray(s) to the oven and broil until bread crumbs are golden, 1 to 2 minutes.

MUSSELS ON THE HALF SHELL WITH PESTO

Steps:

• Bring first 5 ingredients to boil in large pot. Working in batches, add mussels to pot. Cover; cook until mussels open, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer mussels to large bowl. Discard any that do not open. Cool mussels. Strain cooking liquid; reserve 1 cup.
• Remove mussels from shells, reserving half of each shell. Transfer mussels to medium bowl and refrigerate.
• Finely chop basil and garlic in processor. With processor running, gradually add reserved 1 cup cooking liquid and oil and process until well blended. Blend in cheese and mayonnaise. Transfer pesto to large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add mussels and toss to coat. Chill at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate reserved shells.)
• Spoon mussels and pesto into reserved shells. Arrange on platter.

MUSSELS ON THE HALF SHELL

Steps:

• Thaw the mussels.
• Drain them well, squeezing out extra liquid from the mussels.
• Put them on a cookie sheet.
• In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, butter, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
• Squeeze the lemon over the mussels.
• Put the bread crumb mixture equally on the mussels and press down a little.
• Broil for 5 to 6 minutes until the bread crumb mixture is crunchy and brown and the mussles are cooked.
• Serve and enjoy!