One of my favorite things about living in Spain is how easy it is to find good seafood.
And I have to admit, since moving here, I’ve been eating a lot more of it.
There’s a wonderful little place in Benidorm called La Mejillonera, where mussels are very much the main attraction. If you’re ever in the area and enjoy seafood, it’s well worth remembering the name.
I love sitting down to a plate of mussels, especially when there’s a good sauce involved.
But eating out every day would become rather expensive, wouldn’t it?
Fortunately, mejillones a la marinera are surprisingly easy to make at home.
The Best Part Is the Sauce
This is one of those dishes where you really don’t need a long list of ingredients.
Fresh mussels, garlic, ripe tomatoes, a little chili, olive oil and a glass of dry white wine are enough to make something wonderful.
The mussels cook directly in the sauce, releasing their lovely salty juices as the shells open.
I finish everything with a generous handful of fresh parsley.
And I always put plenty of crusty bread on the table, because leaving that sauce behind would be such a shame.
A Little Taste of the Spanish Coast
I particularly like making this when the weather is nice enough to eat outside.
A big bowl of steaming mussels in the middle of the table, some bread and a chilled glass of Albariño. It’s a lovely way to spend a leisurely lunch.
You can serve these mussels as tapas, as a starter, or make a light meal of them with plenty of bread and perhaps a little salad.
Mejillones a la Marinera – Spanish Mussels in Tomato and White Wine Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 kg 2.2 lb fresh live mussels, cleaned and debearded
- 250 g 9 oz canned chopped tomatoes or tomato passata
- 3 tbsp Spanish extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried red chili flakes
- 150 ml ⅔ cup dry white wine, such as Verdejo or a white wine from Rueda
- 1 generous handful fresh flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
- Fine sea salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Crusty bread
- A chilled glass of Albariño optional
Method
- Check the mussels before cooking. Discard any with cracked or broken shells. If a mussel is open, tap it gently against the work surface. If it does not begin to close, discard it. Rinse the remaining mussels under cold running water, scrub away any dirt and remove the beards if necessary. Keep the mussels refrigerated until you’re ready to cook.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the finely chopped garlic and dried chili flakes. Cook for approximately 30–60 seconds, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant and just beginning to turn golden. Do not let it burn.
- Pour in the dry white wine. Increase the heat slightly and allow it to bubble for approximately 1 minute.
- Add the chopped tomatoes or passata and stir well. Simmer uncovered for approximately 5 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken slightly. Season with freshly ground black pepper and a little salt if needed, remembering that the mussels will release naturally salty juices.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and add the cleaned mussels to the pot. Stir gently to coat them in the sauce, then cover immediately with a tight-fitting lid.
- Cook for approximately 5–7 minutes, gently shaking the covered pot halfway through. The mussels will release their juices and begin to open as they steam. Cook until the shells have opened and the mussel meat is thoroughly cooked. Allow a little additional cooking time if needed, without unnecessarily overcooking them.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Discard any mussels that have remained closed after cooking.
- Add the finely chopped fresh parsley and gently stir it through the mussels and sauce.
- Divide the mussels between warm, deep serving bowls and spoon the tomato and white wine sauce over them. Serve immediately with plenty of crusty bread for dipping.
