Cornbread-Stuffed Mussels
Cornbread-Stuffed Mussels are a savory seafood appetizer that combines tender mussels with a flavorful cornbread stuffing, often enhanced with herbs, spices, and sometimes bacon or vegetables. Baked or broiled until golden, they offer a rich, comforting bite that blends the sweetness of cornbread with the briny taste of fresh mussels.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cornbread, crumbled
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 5 cloves garlic, minced and divided
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 lb. (about 25 to 30), scrubbed and cleaned
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/2 cup finely chopped Spanish chorizo
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped, plus more for serving
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300º. On a baking sheet, spread cornbread and bake until slightly dried and crispy, about 25 minutes. Let cool.
- In a large pot over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons oil until shimmering. Add red pepper flakes and half of garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add wine and bring to a simmer. Carefully add mussels to pot and immediately cover. Cook, lightly and occasionally shaking pot, until some mussels open, about 4 minutes. Transfer any open mussels to a large bowl. Cover pot and continue to cook until most mussels are opened, about 2 minutes more; discard closed mussels. Transfer remaining mussels to bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Reserve ½ cup mussel stock, then wipe out pot. Heat remaining oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to sweat, about 2 minutes. Add chorizo and cook, stirring often, until some fat is rendered and chorizo has slightly crisped up, 5 to 6 minutes. Add remaining garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes more.
- Transfer chorizo mixture to a large bowl. Add cornbread crumbs, parsley, and ¼ cup reserved mussel stock. Toss, adding more stock 1 tablespoon at a time if needed, until mixture is slightly wet and moldable.
- Set a rack 6” below broiler; heat broiler. Line a baking sheet with crinkled foil (this will allow the mussels to stand up). Remove top shells of mussels, leaving meat in the other half. Using a spoon, fill mussels with cornbread filling, then arrange on prepared sheet. Drizzle mussels with oil.
- Broil mussels, shifting sheet as needed to ensure even cooking, until beginning to brown and are heated through, about 4 minutes.
- Using tongs, transfer mussels to a platter. Top with parsley and serve.
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