Mussels Alla Piastra with Proscuitto Bread Crumbs
The hotter the better for the piastra, so give it time to preheat-then the mussels will sizzle and jump and practically explode. (Even without the bread crumb mix, mussels cooked on the piastra are so good-toss them with the citrus and chili pepper before cooking, or just finish them with fresh lemon juice.) But if the grill and piastra are not superhot, the mussels will just steam into their own juices, and the result will not be nearly as good. Tossed with the mussels as they cook, the prosciutto bread crumbs become an interesting sticky mess that is simply delicious. Some of the crumbs will scorch and torch-and that’s good.
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 4 pounds small mussels, such as Prince Edward Island (PEI), scrubbed and debearded
- Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
- Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
- 1 cup toasted bread crumbs
- 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, coarsely chopped
- 1 bunch lemon thyme, leaves only
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Procedure
- Preheat a gas grill or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill. Place a piastra on the grill to preheat for at least 15 minutes.
- Put the mussels in a large metal bowl, add the orange and lemon zest and juice and the jalapeno, and toss gently. (If you don’t have a metal bowl, toss in any large bowl, then use an upside-down roasting the mussels when you cook them.) Set aside.
- Place the bread crumbs, prosciutto, lemon thyme, and scallions in a food processor and zap until well mixed, six or seven pulses.
- Pour the olive oil onto the piastra (if your piastra is not large enough, cook the mussels in two batches). Working quickly, dump the mussels (with everything else in the bowl) onto the piastra, scatter the bread crumb mixture over and around them, and cover with the inverted bowl. Remove the bowl after 2 minutes and gently stir the mussels around. Continue cooking, uncovered, for 3 minutes longer, until they all open; transfer the mussels to a platter as they open (discard any that do not open). Scrape up any bread crumb mixture remaining on the piastra, scatter it over the mussels, and serve immediately.
Recipe from the Things Cooks Love, by Sur La Table & Marie Simmons
