Marinated Mussel Salad

From EatingWell: March/April 1991, EatingWell Serves Two — Subscribe Now!

Archaeologists say that humans have been eating mussels for over 20,000 years, but it's unlikely our prehistoric ancestors ever tried them with this tangy lemon-caper marinade. Garlic-Tomato Toasts and a bold Sauvignon Blanc are wonderful with this salad.

2 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

2 pounds mussels, debearded and scrubbed (see Tip)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup water
1 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon capers, rinsed
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 cups torn leaf lettuce, such as Boston, red leaf or romaine

Preparation

Place mussels, onion, water and wine in a large saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook just until the mussels open, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, cool and shell the mussels, discarding any that do not open.
Combine lemon juice, parsley, oil, capers, mustard and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the shelled mussels; marinate for at least 5 minutes.
To serve, divide lettuce between 2 plates and top with the mussel mixture.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 2. Cover and chill for up to 8 hours.

Tip: Use a stiff brush to scrub mussels under running water. Discard any with broken shells or any whose shells remain open after you tap them lightly. Scrape off any barnacles; pull off the black fibrous “beard”.

Nutrition

Per serving: 204 calories; 9 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 48 mg cholesterol; 9 g carbohydrates; 21 g protein; 1 g fiber; 372 mg sodium; 363 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (90% daily value), Vitamin C (40% dv), Iron (35% dv), Folate (22% dv).

12 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 3 very lean meat, 1 fat