Mejillones à la Tabasco
I’ve been neglecting this blog terribly as I was busy much of September having a blast in Berlin, where I managed to neglect my Berlin blog equally as well. Given that nothing reflects more clearly than the Internet how short our modern attention spans have become, it’s no surprise my blog hits dropped by half during my absence. But since that most likely means I have a regular readership, I am anxious to offer a peace offering and woo you back. So here’s more about seafood (which in my mind really is the best thing about Spain).
We’re entering mejillón season (according to Spanish seafood vendors that means months containing an “r”) but mussels are pretty easy to find throughout the year due to modern mariculture. This summer I was experimenting with ways to steam them. I’ve come up with a fusion recipe (the best thing about having lived and traveled world-wide is the interesting culinary influences one can bring to bear). It uses my secret ingredient: tabasco sauce. We North Americans rightly know a few drops improve the flavor of virtually any savory dish. So, ladies and gentlemen, here’s my version of mejillones al vapor which I’m dubbing “à la Tabasco” (with apologies for the liberties I’ve taken regarding French gender rules).
Into a big pot sprinkle a generous quantity of crush garlic, 6 or 8 drops of tabasco sauce and squeeze a quarter to third of a lemon (depending on how juicy it is). Add water, then fill the pot with well-rinsed mejillones and cover with a tightly fitting lid. To correctly prepare them al vapor, one should use a metal rack to elevate the shells off the bottom, but if you don’t have one, you can get away with just minimal layer of water in the bottom. During the steaming, the mussels will release some of the water they’ve retained and you’ll find your pot never goes dry. You needn’t steam for very long: some 5 or 10 minutes. Lift the lid and see if the majority of the mussels have opened up, then you’re done. Serve with bread to soak up the broth from the bottom of the pot.
