Mejillones a la Marinera
Galician mussels steamed open in a bright sauce of white wine, onion, garlic and tomato, a dish that captures the abundance of the Atlantic rías. It is fast, cheap and generous, meant to be eaten with fingers and mopped up with bread.
Approximate, per 1 bowl (~250g mussels in shell). Values vary by recipe and portion.
Ingredients
- ·1.5 kg fresh mussels
- ·1 onion, finely chopped
- ·3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ·1 ripe tomato, grated
- ·150 ml dry white wine
- ·1 bay leaf
- ·1 teaspoon sweet pimentón
- ·A handful of parsley, chopped
- ·60 ml olive oil
- ·1 dried chilli or a pinch of flakes (optional)
Method
- 1
Clean the mussels under cold running water, scrubbing the shells and pulling off the beards, and discard any that stay open when tapped.
- 2
Heat the olive oil in a wide pot and gently soften the onion and garlic for about 8 minutes without browning.
- 3
Stir in the grated tomato and cook it down until darkened, then take the pot off the heat and stir in the pimentón.
- 4
Return to the heat, add the bay leaf and chilli if using, pour in the white wine and bring it to a lively simmer.
- 5
Tip in the mussels, cover with a tight lid and steam over high heat for 4 to 6 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice, until the shells open.
- 6
Discard any mussels that remain firmly shut, then scatter over most of the parsley and give everything a gentle stir.
- 7
Serve at once in a big bowl with the sauce poured over, the rest of the parsley on top, and plenty of bread for the juices.