COLD MUSSELS SALPICON (for four)

4 pounds live mussels

juice of 1 lime

1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 small red onion, finely chopped

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup white wine vinegar

4 sprigs fresh flat leaf parsley, leaves minced

fine sea salt

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1.Scrub and rinse the mussels under cold water, debearding if necessary. Discard any that do not close to the touch.

2. In a saucepan, combine 1 cup water and the lime juice and bring to a boil. Add the mussels, cover and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the mussels have opened, 3 to 6 minutes, shaking the pan from time to time and stirring once. Discard any that fail to open after 6 minutes.

3. Drain, reserving the stock. Allow the mussels to cool, then open with your hands, reserving the shell half with the mussel flesh and discarding the other half. Arrange the mussels on a serving platter.

4. Meanwhile, make the salpicon. Combine the peppers and onion in a glass bowl and add the olive oil, vinegar, parsley and salt to taste. Add ¼ cup of the reserved mussel stock and mix well.

5. Spoon this mixture over the mussels and return them to the fridge to chill well. Serve chilled.

 

adapted from Paul Richardson, Rustic Spanish, published by Williams Sonoma