Mussels With Sherry Saffron Recipes

MUSSELS WITH SAFFRON AND SHERRY

Steps:

• Fill a sink with cold water and put the mussels in to soak. Put saffron into a 1/4-cup measuring cup, and fill with steaming-hot water.
• Place largest pan available (6 quarts or larger) over medium heat, and add oil, onion and 1 tablespoon of parsley. Saute gently until onion is softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and use a fine Microplane grater to grate garlic into pan. (If a Microplane grater is not available, a garlic press may be used, but the mixture should be sauteed for 1 more minute.)
• Transfer mussels to a large colander, sorting through them and discarding any that are damaged or open.
• Return the pan to medium heat, and when the onion mixture begins to sizzle, add the saffron in its water, the sherry and 1 cup hot water. Add the mussels, cover, and raise heat to high. Bring to a boil and steam until the mussels have opened, 3 to 5 minutes. Discard any mussels that do not open.
• Transfer the mussels and pan liquid to one large bowl or two smaller bowls. Sprinkle with remaining parsley. If desired, serve with crusty bread.

MUSSELS IN A SHERRY MARINADE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except the mussels in a very large pan. (You may want to tie the more pungent flavorings such as the chile pepper, cloves, and peppercorns in a piece of cheesecloth so they are easy to remove after cooking.) Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, scrub the mussels under running water, pulling off the beards. Discard any mussels that are broken or do not close when tapped on the counter.
• Stir the mussels into the hot marinade. Cover the pan and cook over high heat, stirring them once, until the mussels open, about 5 minutes. Take care not to overcook them or they will be tough. Leave them to cool in the cooking liquid.
• Transfer the mussels to a bowl, with the marinade, discarding any that have not opened. Discard the chile pepper. Cover tightly and refrigerate the mussels for 24 hours, stirring occasionally?they will be plump and absorb almost all the liquid. Let them come to room temperature before serving in bowls, discarding the seasonings in the cheesecloth.
• Alternative: Serve the mussels at once, while still piping hot. Discard the chile pepper, or the bag of seasonings if used, and taste the broth. If you find it too spicy, stir in some cream. Serve the mussels with plenty of bread.

MUSSELS WITH SHERRY, SAFFRON, AND PAPRIKA

Steps:

• Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add Sherry, tomatoes with juice, paprika, and saffron; sprinkle with salt and generous amount of pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; boil gently 3 minutes to blend flavors. Add mussels and half of parsley; cover and cook until mussels open, about 3 minutes (discard any mussels that do not open). Stir in remaining parsley. Divide mussels and juices among bowls and serve.

MUSSELS IN SAFFRON BROTH

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed sauce pan over moderate heat, and add 1/2 the onions, salt and pepper. Saute briskly until slightly golden, about 8 to 10 minutes, and add the garlic. Cook and additional minute, then add the white wine and reduce to half. Add thyme, saffron, clam juice or fish stock, and tomato juice and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook over low heat about 10 minutes. Strain and reserve.
• Working in batches or in more than one pan, heat the remaining olive oil over high heat and add the remaining onion. Saute briefly, stirring occasionally, until onions are beginning to color, about 4 minutes. Add mussels to pan, keeping them in 1 layer, and saute 1 to 2 minutes, then add a proportionate amount of broth. Bring to a boil, reduce immediately to a simmer and cook, covered, for 3 to 5 minutes or until all the mussels are opened. Toss in parsley and serve on shallow soup plates with about a cup of broth per serving.

MUSSELS IN SHERRY

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pan set over a low heat and add the garlic. Cook until softened, but not coloured.
• Add the parsley, sherry, chili and seasoning and boil the liquid for 30 seconds.
• Toss in the mussels, cover with a lid and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the shells have opened.
• Serve hot or at room temperature.

STEAMED MUSSELS WITH WINE AND SAFFRON

Steps:

• Holding mussels under cool running water, scrub with a stiff sponge or vegetable brush, then debeard: grip the tough fibers extending from the shell and pull to remove. Discard beards.
• Steep saffron in wine for 10 minutes. (Saffron is soluble in water, not fat, so it won't release its color or flavor if added directly to the butter.) Meanwhile, melt butter over medium-high heat in a shallow stockpot. Once it's foamy, add shallots, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until shallots are transparent and garlic is soft, about 3 minutes, stirring every so often to keep garlic from scorching. Pour in wine and saffron, then add tomatoes and return to a simmer, stirring once or twice.
• Add mussels and cover tightly. Cook until all mussels open, about 6 minutes, stirring once about halfway through. Discard any unopened mussels. If using wild mussels, strain broth through a cheesecloth-lined sieve to remove any sand, if necessary. Taste the broth and season with salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle with parsley before ladling mussels and broth into bowls.

MUSSELS WITH SAFFRON CREAM

Steps:

• in a heavy pot with a lid heat olive oil.
• add onions, saffron, salt, stirring occasionally until onions are softened, 5-10 minutes.
• add wine and bring to a boil.
• stir in cream, pepper and mussels.
• cook, covered, until mussels start to open, 6-8 minutes.
• discard any unopened mussels, then stir parsley into finished dish.

MUSSELS WITH SAFFRON SAUCE

Steps:

• Steam mussels in wine until shells open. When cool enough to handle, remove mussels from shells and place in bowl. Cover with 1 cup of cooking liquid. Reserve enough half shells for number of mussels you have and refrigerate in plastic bag.
• In small bowl, using a whisk, beat egg yolk with vinegar and mustard. Season with generous pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Secure bowl on towel, potholder or rubber mat so it does not slide and, beating continuously, dribble in oil in thin stream. Mixture will gradually thicken to mayonnaise. If you are reluctant to make mayonnaise by hand you can use food processer but ingredients must be doubled for it to work, yielding twice as much mayonnaise as needed for recipe. Alternately, you can use 3/4 of cup of commercial mayonnaise.
• To make saffron seasoning, bring to boil 1/2 cup of cooking liquid that mussels were sitting in and pour 1 1/2 tablespoons over saffron in small dish. Allow saffron to steep for 15 minutes, then strain hot liquid into mayonnaise and mix well.
• Drain mussels well and mix with saffron mayonnaise. Just before serving, spoon mussel with sauce onto each half shell. You should have enough mussels to serve about 8 to each guest.

MUSSELS WITH LEEKS & SAFFRON

Steps:

• Wash the mussels in a sink of cold water, removing any little beards and scrubbing any barnacles. Tap each one on the side of the sink - if the mussel doesn't close tightly, discard it (also discard any with broken shells). Put the mussels in a colander (in batches) and rinse really well under cold running water.
• Heat the oil in a large pan (or two pans if you don't have one big enough to fit all the mussels). Sauté the leeks for 8-10 mins until softening, then add the garlic and cook for another few mins. Add the bouquet garni, pour over the sherry and wine, sprinkle over the saffron and bring to just under the boil. Stir to help the saffron flavour the wine.
• Turn the heat down to medium-low, then add the mussels and stir. Cover the pan and allow the mussels to cook until they open (this will take about 4 mins), shaking the pan a few times. Remove the bouquet garni. Add the cream, stir and heat through. Taste for seasoning (mussels are always pretty salty, so you shouldn't need to add anything). Scatter over the parsley, then transfer the mussels to a large, warm serving dish or serve them straight from the pan.

MUSSELS WITH SHERRY & SAFFRON

Steps:

• In a colander, rinse the mussels with cold running water. Discard any mussels that are cracked or don't close when tapped. Grate the orange peel and juice the orange.
• In a large pot with a lid, warm the olive oil on medium heat and cook the garlic for a minute. Add the sherry, 1/2 cup of water, the orange zest and juice, saffron, salt, and pepper. Increase the heat, cover, and bring to a boil. Add the mussels, cover, and cook for 3 to 6 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the shells open. Discard any unopened mussels.
• With a slotted spoon, place the mussels in soup bowls and then ladle the broth over. Serve with plenty of crusty bread to sop up the juices.
• Variations
• Add chopped tomatoes and chopped parsley at the same time as the sherry.
• After removing the mussels from the pot, stir 1/2 cup of half-and-half or cream into the broth.
• Serving & menu ideas
• Serve with a salad such as Baby Greens with Pecans & Pears (page 206).