Mussels Rockefeller
Mussels Rockefeller
Greenshell Mussels with a Twist
Serves 2-3
This recipe was created especially for 178 Degrees by acclaimed New Zealand chef, James Cornwall.
Rockefeller is traditionally a style of cooking oysters in the half shell with spinach, bread crumbs and butter sauce. He's adapted this method and given his own twist with greenshell mussels and chorizo.
Ingredients
  • 1kg greenshell mussels
  • 20mL olive oil
  • 100g chorizo, finely diced
  • 20g butter
  • 50g onion, finely diced
  • 30g garlic, finely chopped
  • 200mL good quality white wine
  • 100mL cream
  • 200g baby spinach
  • Panko bread crumbs
  • Parmesan, finely grated
Method
  1. Clean mussels and remove beards.
  2. Add olive oil to a pan at a medium heat. Add chorizo and lightly sauté.
  3. Add butter, onion and garlic and cook until soft.
  4. Increase the heat to high and add mussels.
  5. Add white wine and cover with a lid to steam.
  6. Mussels should take 4-8 minutes to open. Remove mussels as they open to avoid over-cooking.
  7. Once all mussels are removed, add cream and reduce the sauce to thicken.
  8. While the sauce is reducing, separate mussels from shells and discard half of the shells.
  9. In a separate pan, sauté baby spinach for 30 seconds until wilted. Dry the spinach lightly on kitchen towel and place evenly into remaining shells.
  10. Arrange mussels on the spinach, then spoon sauce and chorizo evenly over the top.
  11. Sprinkle a good coating of Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs over each mussel.
  12. Grill until bread crumbs are golden and the Parmesan has melted. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the juices.