Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Mussels with Hot Paprika Breadcrumbs

This dish caught my eye in the January issue of Food and Wine. It was part of the 50 trends to try this year, and the trend in question was new sparkling wines. Three wines including a lambrusco bianco, a sparkling chenin blanc, and a sparkling gruner veltliner were suggested, and all would pair well with the mussels. We never have much luck locating exact bottles that appear in articles and that proved to be the case last weekend. So, we chose a prosecco instead. Therefore, I suppose we failed to experience this trend set by these new sparklers, but the mussels were outstanding with the bubbly wine we did procure.

This was served as a first course prior to the eggplant salmon entree. The mussels are quick and simple to prepare, and smoked, hot paprika is always welcome. Breadcrumbs were tossed with butter-cooked garlic and paprika, and then thyme, lemon zest, and salt and pepper were added. This mixture was spooned over steamed, opened mussels which were then set under the broiler for a couple of minutes.

Simply delicious. Of course, we wished we would have bought more mussels. When paprika, butter, and breadcrumbs are involved, always plan to serve more than you think you’ll need. The prosecco was lovely as both the steaming liquid and as the beverage served with the finished dish, but the Szigeti Gruner Veltliner Brut sounded interesting. We’ll have to keep looking for it so we can properly experience this particular trend.


13 comments:

  1. Those breadcrumbs would be awesome on mac & cheese too. The mussels look gorge on the plate.

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  2. Lisa, I love mussells and never make them at home.
    This recipe may force me to make them! Great pics too.

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  3. I bookmarked that recipe too, yours looks delicious!

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  4. The paprika breadcrumbs sound excellent with mussels - definitely a winner combo!

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  5. My husband will love this, he is crazy about mussels!

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  6. Oh my!!! Looks very appetising! At a glance, I thought the toppings were crispy bacon =P

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  7. These look fancy enough to be served at a white-tablecloth restaurant. Even better, though, you can enjoy yours in the comfort of your own home, lounging on the couch, and licking your fingers without fear of anyone admonishing you. ;)

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  8. I would say that is ingenious. Something different from the mussels being typically soaked in gravy.

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  9. I usually eat mussels in a spicy tomato sauce - this looks like a great twist!

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  10. This is a good twist, and I am putting this on my 'to make' list for Sunday, I think hubby will like it!

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  11. Good! usually, my mixture is made only with breadcrumbs, chopped garlic, salt and oil, but your suggestion for hot paprika is very interesting!

    http://www.academiabarilla.com/italian-recipes/campania/mussels-gratin.aspx

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