Mussels with vegetables in escabeche
4 servings
30 minutes
Mussels with vegetables in escabeche is a dish that combines the freshness of seafood and aromatic marinade in Mediterranean cuisine style. Escabeche is an ancient cooking method from Spain where ingredients are first lightly fried or stewed and then marinated in vinegar with spices. Tender mussels pair well with vibrant vegetables like broccoli, carrots, leeks, and garlic. Spices such as thyme, bay leaf, cloves, and pepper add depth of flavor to the dish while sherry vinegar adds a subtle tanginess. After marinating in the fridge, the mussels absorb the aroma of the spices and become particularly rich. This dish is perfect as an appetizer and can be served cold or slightly chilled alongside crispy bread and a glass of white wine.
1
First, I cooked the mussels. It's simple: in a large pot, add cleaned mollusks, pour in 1-2 cups of water or dry white wine, cover the pot, and let the water boil — after a few minutes, the mussel shells will open, indicating they are ready. After this procedure, let the mussels cool.
- Mussels in the shell: 1000 g
- Mineral water: to taste
2
Next is the marinade, that is escabeche. I sliced the carrot and leek into rings, separated the broccoli florets, and peeled the garlic. In a saucepan over medium heat, I heated olive oil, added the vegetables, thyme, and spices, and cooked everything until semi-cooked — the vegetables should not fry but simmer. Then I added vinegar and a little water if the marinade seemed too little or if you overdid it with vinegar. On low heat, I simmered the vegetables for a few more minutes until done.
- Carrot: 1 piece
- Leek (white part): 1 piece
- Broccoli: 200 g
- Garlic: 0.5 head
- Extra virgin olive oil: 4 tablespoons
- Fresh thyme: 5 stem
- Bay leaf: 2 pieces
- Cloves: 3 pieces
- Black peppercorns: 0.5 teaspoon
- Sherry vinegar: 4 tablespoons
- Mineral water: to taste
3
Removed from heat, added shelled mussels, salted to taste, left the mollusks and vegetables to marinate at room temperature until the escabeche cooled down, then for at least 2 hours in the fridge, preferably overnight.
- Mussels in the shell: 1000 g
- Salt: to taste
