Simple, Spicy Chorizo Mussels

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Mussels have become one of my favorite go-to dishes for healthy weeknight meals and entertaining. They are a natural finger food with build-in scoops and the same basic technique for cooking them can be modified in almost infinite ways. If spicy is more your style, consider using cured chorizo as a flavor base for mussels. The flavors in the chorizo bring so much to the dish that many other traditional mussels ingredients like tomatoes and saffron aren’t necessary to create a full-flavored and robust dish. My chorizo mussels recipe has 6 ingredients and can be on the table in 30 minutes, fewer if your knife skills are really good.

Learn more about chorizo

Recdipe: Chorizo Mussels

Details

• Difficulty: Easy
• Serves: 2 as dinner, 3-4 as an appetizer
• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 15 min

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 oz. cured (Spanish) chorizo, diced
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 2 medium shallots, sliced
• 1 c. white wine
• 1- ½ lb. fresh mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan.
2. Add chorizo and cook for 3 minutes or until slightly crisp and it has released some of its fat.
3. Add onion and shallots. Cook for 5 minutes until onions are translucent.
4. Deglaze the pan with the white15ine and boil for 3 minutes until reduced slightly.
5. Add mussels and stir lightly to coat mussels with liquid.
6. Cover pan and cook for 6-8 minutes, until mussel shells open up, stirring once to prevent sticking. Discard any mussels that do not open.
7. Use a large slotted spoon to transfer mussels to a shallow bowl.
8. Check broth for seasoning, add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over mussles.
9. Serve immediately with warm, crusty bread.

Recipe for success

• Be sure to use cured chorizo and not fresh chorizo. Cured chorizo is often referred to as Spanish chorizo and doesn’t require refrigeration and can be eaten without cooking. Fresh chorizo, often called Mexican chorizo, is sold in the meat case and needs to be cooked before eating. Cured chorizo stands up better in this preparation.
• The combination of chopped onions, sliced shallots, and diced chorizo creates a mix of textures in the sauce. Be sure to scoop up a bit of sauce with each mussel for a nice counterpoint to the soft mussels.
• Choose a crisp white wine with little-to-no oak for this recipe such as a Sauvignon Blanc or un-oaked white blend. A heavy, oaky Chardonnay won’t blend as nicely with the flavors in this dish as lighter wine with good citrus notes.