Salsa: It’s Not Just for Chips

By Martha Rose Shulman

Published July 19, 2009

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
45 minutes, plus 1 hour's refrigeration
Rating
4(5)
Comments
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This is a beautiful way to present mussels. First, they’re steamed and tossed with fresh tomato salsa, and then the mussels are set in their shells. If you’re making a meal of these, you’ll need the four pounds of mussels called for in the recipe. If you’re serving them as an hors d’oeuvre, you can cut the recipe in half.

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves four to six as a meal, 15 to 20 as an hors d’oeuvre

FOR THE SALSA

  • 2 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes, chopped

  • ½ small red onion, minced

  • 2 to 3 jalapeño or serrano peppers to taste, seeded and minced

  • 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro (more to taste)

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice or 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (optional)

FOR THE MUSSELS

  • 4 pounds mussels

  • Salt or vinegar

  • 1 cup dry white wine

  • 2 shallots or ½ onion, finely chopped

  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed

  • Chopped cilantro for garnish

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

23 grams carbs; 85 milligrams cholesterol; 343 calories; 2 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 7 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 1236 milligrams sodium; 38 grams protein; 7 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. FOR THE SALSA

    1. Step 1

      Make the salsa. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Do not add salt yet.

    2. Step 2

      Clean the mussels. Brush them and pull out their beards. Discard any with cracked or open shells. Place in a bowl, and rinse in several changes of cold water. Cover with cold water, and stir in a generous amount of salt or 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Let sit 15 minutes. Drain, rinse and soak again for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse.

    3. Step 3

      Combine the wine, onion (or shallots) and garlic in a large pot or wok, and bring to a boil. Add the mussels, cover and steam five minutes or until the mussels open (this may be easier for you if you do it in two batches). Shake the pot or stir halfway through steaming to redistribute the mussels. Using tongs, remove the mussels to a bowl. Strain the cooking liquid into another bowl through a cheesecloth-lined strainer. Set aside.

    4. Step 4

      Remove the mussels from their shells, and set the shells aside. Discard any mussels that haven’t opened. Rinse the mussels very briefly to wash away any lingering sand.

    5. Step 5

      In a large bowl, mix together the salsa with 1 cup of the strained cooking liquid from the mussels. Taste, and add salt if desired. Toss the mussels with this mixture, cover and refrigerate for one hour or longer.

  2. FOR THE MUSSELS

    1. Step 6

      To serve, place mussels on half-shells and spoon on some salsa. Arrange on a platter, and garnish with cilantro.

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Comments

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terre

Perhaps top the mussels with crumbled cotija cheese, quickly broil, then add the salsa.

meinmunich

This was easy to make, it was refreshing and different from other mussel/ oyster in half shell recipes, heavy with butter and cream. It was good...but not great. I think it could be improved. Perhaps in the direction of Mexican Shrimp Cocktail and Bloody Mary. Hm...a little cucumber, celery, celery salt, or Old Bay? Does avocado go with mussels?

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