creamy 'nduja steamed mussels!
sweet, spicy, & creamy and SO simple to make
hi!
I am so excited to share this recipe with you. It may not look like much, but it is so good, and it seriously is so simple. I know that making mussels at home sounds daunting, but once you try this, you’ll never want to pay for moules frites anymore because its so easy to make yourself!
when Alex and I went to London, we ate at a really cool Italian restaurant in Shoreditch called manteca. among the many dishes we ordered, one was creamy ‘nduja mussels. it was SO good, i’ve been thinking about it nonstop since October, so I had to remake it.
ok cool, let’s get into it
here’s a brief overview of the main ingredients, possible substitutes, etc:
‘nduja - you’re probably wondering what the hell this hard-to-pronounce ingredient is. fair. ‘Nduja (pronounced "en-doo-yah”) is a slightly spicy spreadable sausage from the Calabria region of Italy (which is also know for the famous Calabrian chilies). It is salty, porky, a bit spicy, and its already in a minced format, so no cutting or chopping is necessary for this!
where do I find ‘nduja? good question. If you happen to have any Italian specialty stores, or maybe even a good butcher shop, check there. Whole Foods might have it. Personally, I just ordered it on amazon and that was the easiest for me.
‘nduja alternatives: Since this is a hard to find ingredient, here are some substitutes if you must! In a pinch, chorizo can work. You could also make your own spicy porky paste by finely chopping some salami, proscuitto, and/or pancetta with some Calabrian chilies or chili oil. Another option that is pork-less is to use a harissa paste. Of course, all of the alternatives will have their own unique flavors, but I think they’ll still turn out well!
mussels - Buy these fresh from wherever you get your seafood. I used 2 pounds of Prince Edward Island mussels. you’ll need to do a bit of work before cooking them, but don’t worry.
how to clean mussels! click this video for a step-by-step instruction video. I’ll explain as well.
Start by adding your mussels to a bowl of cold water and pour a LOT of kosher salt into the bowl (1/4 cup or so). Let those sit for 30 minutes to “purge” anything inside the shells.
drain and rinse mussels after 30 minutes. go through each mussel and use a paper towel to pull out the “beard” on the mussels. not every mussel will have this, and you may need to yank to get them out. don’t worry, if you miss some it isn’t dangerous, just may taste like hair in your mussels, lol.
discard any mussels that are broken or any mussels that are open and do not close when pressed.
heavy cream - the creamy component, duh. If you’re dairy-free, I think full fat coconut milk would be great here.
shallot & garlic - sharpen your knife bc we’re mincing these reeeeeeaaaally fine.
white wine - Don’t use something expensive here. Whatever you have is fine. a light chicken or fish stock can be used in place of wine.
thiccccc piece of bread - optional, but recommended. a thick piece of bread at the bottom of each bowl to sop up all the sauwce.
Creamy ‘Nduja Mussels Recipe
serves 2, as a meal. serves 3-4 as a small appetizer.
Ingredients:
1 shallot, brunoise or finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2/3 cup white wine or broth
2-3 tablespoons ‘nduja
2 lbs mussels
2/3 cup heavy cream
slice of thick bread (1 per serving bowl)
Directions:
Prep the mussels
Start by adding your mussels to a bowl of cold water and pour a LOT of kosher salt into the bowl (1/4 cup or so). Let those sit for 30 minutes to “purge” anything inside the shells.
drain and rinse mussels after 30 minutes. go through each mussel and use a paper towel to pull out the “beard” on the mussels. not every mussel will have this, and you may need to yank to get them out. don’t worry, if you miss some it isn’t dangerous, just may taste like hair in your mussels, lol.
discard any mussels that are broken or any mussels that are open and do not close when pressed.
Remaining Directions:
In a large pot, heat about 1-2 tbsp olive oil or butter. Add minced shallots and garlic, along with a pinch of kosher salt. stir and sauté until fragrant and soft.
add ‘nduja to the pot and use a rubber spatula to spread until it is incorporated with the aromatics.
add 2/3 cup white wine, stir and simmer for about 1 minute. add 2/3 cup heavy cream, stir to combine. taste and add salt as needed.
carefully add in cleaned mussels to the pot. keep them in a single layer as much as possible.
with heat on medium-low, cover the pot with a lid. leave it untouched for about 4-5 minutes. remove lid. all mussels should now be open, discard any unopened mussels.
place bread in serving bowl(s), top with mussels.
optional step: when mussels are out of the pot, you may want to slightly reduce the sauce to make it a bit thicker. if so, just simmer for about 3 minutes.
Use a spoon to pour remaining sauce over mussels.
enjoy!