Let us re-introduce our mussels…
Why mussels?
As the very first product created by Tiny Fish Co., we wanted to highlight a species that is, generally speaking, familiar to the average consumer. Our manufacturing partner is a family owned and operated shellfish farm - Taylor Shellfish Farms. I’ve enjoyed their fresh mussels on several occasions and knew that working with them as a supplier for tinned mussels would be a no-brainer. This particular species of mussel - Mytilus galloprovincialis, or Mediterranean mussel - has plump, meaty flesh. These are some of the largest and tastiest mussels I have ever consumed and are farmed in Totten Inlet, WA - less than 100 miles from where they are processed and canned.
Escabeche vs. Chorizo Spiced
The first iteration of our mussels was called ‘Mussels en Escabeche’. This is a very common way to find canned mussels prepared in Spain and Portugal. The term ‘en escabeche’ implies that something is marinating in spices and some form of acid; citrus juice, vinegar, and even wine is often used.
My version of escabeche is an homage to my time living in the south of Spain. Once ruled by the Moors and in close proximity to North Africa, it is a region where it’s impossible to ignore the Arab influence in architecture, music, dance, culture and food. Escabeche may have been coined in Spain, but it was originally an Arab dish al-sikbaj. I created the recipe for this product based very closely off a fresh Mussels en Escabeche recipe I would make in restaurants that relies heavily on spices like cumin, coriander, fennel and, of course, paprika, which is where the orange-red hue of an escabeche originates.
But, why’d we change the name? Plain and simple - we listened to customer feedback and it became clear that ‘en escabeche’ isn’t as familiar to the general public as it is to us. A few of our independent retailers mentioned that they loved the flavor and that it reminded them of ‘chorizo spices’ and that’s the name the stuck!
What’s in the can?
Our Chorizo Spiced Mussels are the most expensive product we produce. Everything that goes into the can is of premium quality. A custom spice blend is first added to the tin, along with a splash of sherry vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. The lightly smoked mussels are added last and then the can is sealed.
Generally you find tinned Mussels en Escabeche sitting in a paprika infused oil, often on the mild side and no hint of acidity. We deliberately left the spices in the can, unfiltered, for a bold flavor. Sherry vinegar is *shockingly* the most difficult ingredient in this recipe to source in bulk, and while there is only a very small amount that goes in to each can, it’s that extra attention to detail that sets our mussels apart from other tins.
We are now offering subscriptions on our website!
Choose a bundle of your favorite tins to be delivered once every 2 months. By doing this you can ‘set it and forget it’ ensuring your pantry is always stocked and you also get our tins at the lowest price (yes, even lower than most retailers!).
If you still aren’t ready for a commitment enjoy 10% off your whole purchase for the rest of March with the code SPRINGSALE10.
Your monthly recipes features our best-selling tin and your old pal…
Chorizo Spiced Mussels
Makes 1 quiche, 8-10”
For the dough:
2 cups (265 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2/3 cup (150 grams) butter, cold and diced
2 Tablespoons ice water
For the filling:
5 eggs
1 1/4 cup half and half
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup cooked vegetables, cut into bite-sized pieces*
1 tin Chorizo Spiced Mussels
For the dough: Place the flour, salt, sugar and butter into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the butter has been distributed throughout and the mixture and resembles a coarse meal. Slowly drizzle in the ice cold water and pulse until the dough just begins to ball together. Transfer the dough to a clean surface and knead it a couple times until the dough comes together. If your dough is sticking to your fingers, add a little more flour as you knead. If the dough too crumbly, wet your hands to add water little by little while gently bring it together into a ball.
Wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour.
10 minutes before you would like to make your quiche, preheat your oven to 350F and remove the dough from the refrigerator. Roll the dough out to about 1/4” thickness. I used an 8” circle pie dish so I rolled my into a circle, but you could also use a rectangular or square casserole dish with a similar volume. I didn’t use any flour to roll out the dough, but if it is sticking to counter or rolling pin, lightly dust the rolling surface with a little flour. Transfer the rolled out dough to the pie dish, crimp the edge as you like, then prick the bottom a handful of times with the tines of a fork.
Place a parchment or wax paper on top of the dough and then add dried beans or rice to weigh the dough down. This blind baking process will help to ensure your dough will be cooked through and your egg filling will remain custardy. Blind bake the crust for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool on a baking rack.
For the filling: Whisk together the eggs, salt and half-and-half in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Remove the parchment paper and weights from the quiche crust, then pour the egg mixture into the pre-baked crust making sure to leave 1/8” gap between the egg mixture and the top of the crust. Evenly distribute the cooked vegetables into the egg mixture. *We used some leftover roasted asparagus and steamed bok choy. Open your tin of mussels and carefully drizzle the oil over the top of the egg mixture, reserving the mussel meat for the top of the baked quiche.
Bake the quiche for about 45-48 minutes or until the center is set, but still a little wiggly. Let the quiche cool on a baking rack for at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving. We garnished ours with the rest of the tin of mussels. - But, don’t let your creativity stop there! Goat cheese, chopped herbs, or aioli will take this quiche to a whole other level.
Enjoy!
Don’t forget to check out the gram for a video tutorial.
Grateful to you as always - xx, Sara.