Barbecued Mussels Recipes

BARBECUED MUSSELS

Steps:

• Mix the butter and garlic with a big pinch of salt. Heat the barbecue until the coals are ashy white. Lay a sheet of tin foil about 60cm long on the kitchen counter, put another sheet of the same size on top, then add a third sheet about 30cm long across the middle of the other sheets to make a cross shape. Spread the shallots in the middle of the foil, pile the mussels on top, dot the garlic butter all over, then scatter over half the parsley. Season, then fold the foil in at the sides to create an oval bowl shape.
• Pour the wine into the foil bowl and then seal it by scrunching the foil together at the top. Make sure that it's well sealed so that the mussels can steam - use an extra sheet of foil to wrap the whole parcel if necessary. Carefully place the parcel on the barbecue coals and cook for 10 mins. Open the parcel and check the mussels have opened up. Hot steam will billow out, so be careful. Pour in the cream, cover (if your barbecue has a lid) and allow to cook for a few mins longer, so the smoky scents of the barbecue can get in.
• Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve with warm crusty bread.

GRILLED MUSSELS WITH HERBED BREAD CRUMBS

Steps:

• I love using the heat of the grill to open shellfish. I think they come out as juicy as if they were roasted in the oven. The flavors of garlic, parsley and mint make this a great opener to a meal or a nice side dish or nibble. The crunch of the bread crumbs is also a great texture contrast to the mussels and the flavors evoke the natural sweetness of the mussels.
• Preheat the grill or grill pan to medium.
• Heat a large skillet over low heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is warm add the garlic. Stir the garlic with a wooden spoon and season with salt, to taste. Give the garlic a minute to "melt" into the oil but do not let it brown. Stir in the bread crumbs, parsley and mint. Taste for seasoning, Set aside.
• When the grill is hot, scatter the mussels on the grill in a single layer. Have a pair of tongs and a large platter ready. As the mussels open, use the tongs to remove them from the grill onto a platter. When they are all opened, squeeze the juice from the lemons over them and spoon the bread crumb mixture into the shells. Serve immediately.

GRILLED MUSSELS RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Prepare a medium-high (400 F to 475 F) gas or charcoal grill fire. While the grill heats, pick over the mussels; throw away any mussels that don't close tightly when you tap on them and remove the beards, if any.
• Put the cleaned mussels on the hot grill and cook, covered on a gas grill, until they open, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Use tongs to transfer the hot mussels to a serving platter. If using, add fresh pepper and chopped parsley on top. Serve immediately.

MUSSELS ON THE BARBECUE

Steps:

• Scrub the mussels very well and remove the beards.
• Take a generous bit of aluminum cooking foil, place the mussels in the middle.
• Add the onion, some parsley, black pepper to taste and the mashed garlic clove.
• Sprinkle with olive oil and a bit of wine; don't get carried away because the mussels will let out some juice too.
• Fold up the foil into a very tight packet ('tight' meaning 'well closed'); even wrap it up in a second foil sheet if you need to. NO moisture should be able to escape.
• Put in a lidded barbeque (Weber) in the direct heat of the coals (i.e. straight above them).
• Grill for 8 to 10 minutes, checking for readiness.
• Remove the mussels from the barbecue as soon as they open. Discard any that did not open.
• Serve with or without the shells with the juice on top.

MUSSELS WITH WHITE BEANS & TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and shallot; cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to release their liquid, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme and crushed red pepper; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beans and stir to combine. Place mussels on top and pour in wine. Cover and cook until the mussels open (discard any unopened mussels), 5 to 6 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges and garnish with more thyme, if desired.

GRILLED PAELLA WITH CHICKEN, CHORIZO, SHRIMP AND MUSSELS

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium on one side and medium high on the other side. If using charcoal, stack the briquettes so they are layered at least halfway up to the grates.
• Remove 4 wide strips of zest from the lemons, then cut the lemons in half and set aside. Combine the chicken broth, lemon zest strips and the saffron in a medium saucepan. Peel the shrimp, leaving the tails intact, then add the shells to the saucepan. Devein the shrimp, place in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to grill. Heat the broth mixture over medium-low heat until steaming; cook 25 to 30 minutes, reducing the heat as needed if the broth starts to simmer. Strain into a large measuring cup or heatproof container.
• Meanwhile, combine the bell pepper, onion, tomatoes and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Put the chicken in a large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and the smoked paprika.
• Grill the lemon halves and chicken over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until the lemon halves are charred, 3 to 5 minutes, and the chicken skin is golden brown and crisp, 15 to 17 minutes. Remove to a plate.
• Meanwhile, set a 15-inch paella pan on the grill grates over medium heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the chorizo and cook, flipping once, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato mixture, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the juices have almost evaporated, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and cook until the liquid is evaporated, 3 to 4 more minutes. Add the rice and a big pinch of salt; stir to combine and toast lightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the strained broth and stir to combine. Close the grill and cook without stirring, rotating the pan 180 degrees halfway through, until the rice is plumped and about half of the liquid is absorbed, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Stir in the olives and peas. Nestle the chicken, shrimp and mussels in the rice. Grill, covered and rotating the pan 180 degrees halfway through, until the shrimp and chicken are cooked through and the mussels have opened, 10 to 20 more minutes (discard any mussels that do not open).
• Remove the paella from the grill and top with the parsley. Serve with the grilled lemon halves.

GRILLED MUSSELS WITH CURRY BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for high medium-heat and lightly oil grate.
• Whisk together the butter, garlic, curry powder, cumin, and salt in a small bowl.
• Arrange four large sheets of aluminum foil on a flat surface. Divide the mussels into four even portions and place one portion on each piece of foil. Dot the mussels with the curry mixture. Sprinkle the red bell pepper and parsley over the top of each portion. Top each with lime slices. Wrap foil tightly around the portions.
• Cook the packets on the preheated grill until the mussels have opened, 5 to 10 minutes. Discard any mussels which do not open.
• Transfer the mussels to small bowls and garnish each with a lime wedge to serve.

GRILLED MUSSELS WITH HERB BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Clean and lightly oil hot grill. In a small pot, melt butter over medium. Remove from heat and stir in parsley; set aside.
• Working in batches if necessary, place mussels on grill in a single layer. Place lemons, halved and lightly oiled, on grill, cut side down.
• Grill until mussels open and lemons are warmed through and browned, 5 minutes. With tongs, transfer mussels as they open to a large platter. (Discard unopened mussels.) Pour herb butter over mussels; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve with lemons.

GRILLED MUSSELS

Steps:

• Scrub the mussels under cold water, trim off the beards.
• Place the mussels in a large pot, add the wine, cover and bring to a boil over moderately high heat.
• Steam until the shells open, about 5 minutes.
• Remove from the heat; discard any mussels that did not open.
• In a medium bowl, blend 1-1/2 sticks of the butter with 2 TB of the garlic, 2 TB of the parsley, the chervil, and 1/4 tsp of the pepper.
• In a small saucepan, melt the remaining butter.
• In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1 TB garlic, 3 TB parsley, and 1/2 tsp pepper.
• Add the cheese and stir in the melted butter to moisten the crumbs.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Pull off half of each mussel shell.
• Spread about 1/2 tsp of the garlic butter over each mussel and sprinkle evenly with the bread crumbs, pressing down gently so they adhere.
• Place the mussels on a baking sheet in a single layer and broil until the bread crumbs are golden brown, about 2 minutes.
• Serve hot.