Spicy Tinned Mussels

When trying to make ecologically friendly choices around seafood, it can be hard to know where to turn. Farmed or wild caught? Big fish or small fish? Much of the time, it seems the news is bad no matter which way you turn.

There's a bright spot, though. Bivalves, like oysters, scallops, and mussels are a reliably good choice for sustainability. Bivalves filter and clean the seawater around them, leaving things better than when they found it. They eat the plankton that floats around them naturally, without requiring any additional feeding. And their life cycle is pretty fast too, so it doesn't take too long for them to reach full size.

These mussels were harvested off the coasts of Spain and Portugal. They’re brought to shore, cleaned, steamed and mixed with a sauce made with apple cider vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, red bell peppers, paprika, and cayenne. Then they're canned for long term keeping. The flavor is reminiscent of the traditional practice of preserving seafood in escabeche: tangy, slightly spicy.

Open the tin and serve with good crusty bread, or make some pasta and toss the whole tin with the cooked noodles and a “plain” tomato sauce. Add whatever veggies make sense and serve.