Smoked Mussel Rigatoni
The Thames River, cutting and winding through London used to be home to one of the healthiest mussel populations in England, feeding bivalve-obsessed residents for centuries. Unfortunately, numbers have declined by 95% since 1960. The cause is unclear, but most likely a result of a combination of climate change, pollution, and disturbances to the water. That doesn’t mean Londoners stopped slurping down their shellfish though, they just source them from the coasts now instead.
This badass bowl of pasta is all about the mussel in one of its most delicious formats – smoked. A technique that has been used for centuries in canning and preservation. By smoking mussels, the flavor deepens by a power of ten and draws the salinity to the forefront, which is where it belongs. The final dish contains a multitude of flavors - smokey, salty, bitter, umami, fatty - all adding up to a really delicious and highly soppable pasta.
The Recipe
Difficulty: Medium
Prep. time: 10 min.
Cook time: 30 min.
Serves: 4
Special Equipment
Smoking gun
Notes
A smoking gun isn’t necessary to smoke mussels, it can be done over a grill too. Following the recipe are tips on how to use a grill.
If the time or equipment to smoke isn’t available, use about 3 tins of smoked mussels, it will be a very different texture, but the taste will still be there.
Ingredients
17.6 oz. bronze cut rigatoni
4 lb. live fresh mussels
½ shallot - very finely diced
1 cup dry white wine
½ cup dry vermouth
¾ cup heavy cream
1 lemon - ½ juiced - ½ quartered
1 bunch flat Italian parsley - finely chopped
Hickory smoking chips
Apple smoking chips
Sea salt
Ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Preparation
01.
Carefully clean and debar the mussels. In a large stock pot bring 1 cup of white wine and 2 cups of water to temperature over medium-high heat. Once the alcohol smell of the wine has dissipated, carefully add the mussels to the pot, cover, and steam until all the mussels open - about 5 minutes.
02.
Once opened, transfer the just mussels to a large bowl and set aside. Reserve ¼ cup of the pot liquor (the liquid left behind). Cover the bowl with tight-fitting plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Open one section, add the tip of the smoking gun to the center and reseal. Using 50/50 hickory and apple chips smoke the mussels for at least 5-7 minutes, adding more time for more smoke flavor. Remove the mussels from their shells and reserve them for later.
03.
Bring a large stock pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil.
04.
Bring 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to temperature in a deep sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and stir for 1-2 minutes or until soft and fragrant. Pour in the vermouth and pot liquor and reduce by about ⅓. While stirring, slowly add in the heavy cream, and reduce the heat to low.
05.
Drop in the pasta and cook until al dente, ~9-11 minutes.
06.
Once the pasta has finished cooking, strain, and add to the vermouth cream. Add in the mussels, parsley, and the lemon juice - use more if needed to taste. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss for two minutes to thicken and coat the pasta.
07.
Divide into 4 portions and drizzle a little of your best extra virgin oil over each dish.
How to Smoke Mussels Using a Grill
Smoking mussels over the grill isn’t hard, but the right approach will make sure you don’t dry them out. Wood chips for a grill are larger than a smoking gun and need to be soaked in water for at least 6 hours before using.
The preferred method would be to place them in a tin tray with the wine and water at the bottom. If a tray is unavailable, one can be made using tinfoil and a little ingenuity. If neither is unavailable, be very attentive to the mussels and remove once they open.
To smoke using a charcoal grill, drop the wood chips directly onto the hot coals, and the tray over the coals - cover the grill and close the vents to nearly totally closed. Smoke for 5 minutes or until the shells have opened.
To smoke using a gas grill, turn the grill to high heat on all burners. Add the smoking box filled with chips directly over the flames (safely) and close the lid. Once smoking, add the tray of mussels and smoke for 5 minutes or until the shells have opened.