Mussels with Pepper is too good. A seafood dish to enjoy as a tasty appetizer or as a light main course? The mussels with pepper never disappoint!
A dish that comes from the Campanian cuisine, very simple to prepare, but absolutely divine in terms of taste, but to get a perfect result you need very fresh mussels.
It’s easy and quite quick to make, everyone likes it and it also has the advantage of being an economical and light dish!
You just need to commit to choosing your ingredients well and in 30 minutes you can enjoy a gourmet delicacy to bring to the table.
Get some mussels, or as they’re called in your parts (mollusks or muscles), and by following this very easy recipe, you’ll cook an excellent appetizer or main course, and remember that it’s also a rather light recipe with few calories.
The original recipe for mussels with pepper includes only two ingredients for its preparation: mussels and pepper.
Some add a pinch of parsley and some enjoy them (as we did!) with freshly squeezed lemon.
Before consuming them, it is very important to ensure that the mussels are fresh, and for this reason, it is always advisable to buy them correctly packaged.
At the time of purchase, you need to check that the net is closed and intact and check the label, which always guarantees the quality and freshness of the product.
Fresh mussels are recognizable by their tightly closed and intact shells.
The valves, i.e., the two equal drop-shaped parts joined by a ligament that make up the mussel’s shell, should not be damaged but as intact as possible.
Follow me as I tell you how I prepare them.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 68.72 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 3.95 (g) of which sugars 0.28 (g)
- Proteins 9.03 (g)
- Fat 2.10 (g) of which saturated 0.64 (g)of which unsaturated 1.46 (g)
- Fibers 0.57 (g)
- Sodium 218.76 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 95 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Mussels with Pepper
- 4.4 lbs mussels
- to taste black pepper (to grind fresh)
- lemon (optional)
- parsley (chopped, optional)
Tools
- Casserole
- Lid
Steps for Mussels with Pepper
First, rinse the mussels under running water.
Use a knife to scrape their surface to remove any remaining crusts or residues, which would be unpleasant to find on the finished plate.
A little secret: I’ve always done well with this method.
Wash them under running water.
(Place some mussels in a plastic bag, add plenty of coarse salt, and close it. Insert the closed bag into another bag.
Rub the mussels inside the bag for about 5 minutes.
Open the bag, empty the mussels into a colander, and rinse them under running water to remove residues).
Also, discard broken or open ones because they are not good to consume.
In the meantime, start preparing the bread croutons.
For this preparation, you will need a loaf of rustic bread, like Pugliese, which you will cut into fairly thick slices.
Indeed, it’s good to have well-consistent bread croutons so that you can soak them in the sauce of your mussels with pepper.
Place your bread croutons on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush them with extra virgin olive oil, which will make them crispy and golden on the surface.
At this point, your croutons are ready to be baked at 392°F for a few minutes.
They will be ready when their surface is nicely golden.
Be careful not to burn the croutons to avoid the bitter taste of burning ruining your mussels with pepper.
Then transfer them to a fairly large pot, placed over high heat, and cover with a lid.
When the shells begin to open, sprinkle with black pepper, freshly ground, and shake the pot by holding the handles so that the pepper is well distributed.
When the mussels have all opened, immediately turn off the heat.
Optionally, add fresh chopped parsley and lemon wedges.
Arrange the bread croutons you made earlier.
Enjoy your meal.
Tips
For a tasty variation, you can open the mussels by adding a drizzle of oil, 2 cloves of garlic, and chili pepper.
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Storage
Any form of storage is discouraged.
Notes…..
If the mussels are very fresh, you can freeze them cooked by placing them in suitable containers or special bags, removing as much air as possible. Keep them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
I bought fresh mussels, how can I store them?
Place the mussels in a basin, cover them with a damp cloth, and store them in the least cold part of the refrigerator, this way they will keep for up to two days.
I have some mussels with pepper left, any ideas please?
Mussels with pepper should be consumed immediately after being prepared while they are still hot. Only in this way can you fully appreciate their flavor and aroma. However, if you have leftover mussels with pepper, you can always use them differently. Remove the shells from the mollusks and use them to prepare a sauce with tomato sauce for a pasta dish or to enrich the preparation of seafood salad.
