Steamed mussels with tomato relish

When this time of year arrives I switch to "terrace dinners" mode, with friends, in a lively setting and with cool recipes that take very little work and don't make much mess kitchenware.

Without a doubt the one that never fails is steamed mussels, which is one of the easiest dishes to prepare that you can turn to. It's an economical dish that people usually like, and paired with a good Ribeiro... What can I tell you that you don't already know!

At home, I usually serve it as you see in my skillet, with a tasty salpicón. I always make it a few hours ahead so the flavors concentrate more. As for the mussels, if they are Galician and high quality all the better, that way the mollusk will be larger.

You can make them marinara or French-style, also very tasty, but personally my favorite is how I bring them to you today, steamed, done in the simplest way but without losing flavor or nutrients. Mussels are usually rich in vitamin C, folic acid, iron, phosphorus, selenium and zinc. They are low in fat and provide a high amount of protein. In short, I love making them in my Vitalis pot and making the most of them.

Laura Ashley porcelain tray, WMF Vitalis pot and Le Creuset skillet pan

Ingredients (For 4 people)

• 1 kg of mussels
• 1 bunch of parsley or several bay leaves (to taste)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 glass of water and a little white wine to taste

For the chopped salad:

• 2 medium tomatoes
• 1 Italian pepper
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1/2 onion
• Oil, vinegar and salt.

Preparation

The chopped salad

1. Chop on a cutting board the tomatoes as small as you can and set aside in a bowl.
2. Add the onion, the pepper and the cucumber, all very well chopped. Season to taste.
3. Set aside for a few hours until it absorbs the dressing.

The mussels

1. Clean the mussels well. Set aside.
2. Pour water into the inside of the WMF Vitalis pot, about two fingers high, place the basket and on top the mussels, the garlic cloves and the parsley, and pour in the glass of white wine.
3. Close with the lid and place over the heat. When we see the thermometer read between 90-100º, count about 5 minutes, the time for the mussels to open, and they will be ready.
4. Check that they are all open; if some remain closed leave a few more minutes.

Presentation

1. Remove the lid and take out the mussels, place them on a tray or on a skillet, and place the chopped salad beside them.

WMF Vitalis Pot

Tips:

• The chopped salad, the more finely chopped it is, the better. And as I mentioned before, it needs several hours to take on flavor.
• I recommend the mussels be of good quality, you will notice it in the size of the mollusk.

I hope you like it!