Pickled Mussels Are the Tin I Keep Coming Back To
Plus: failing at meal prep and going gluten-free.
About five years ago, when I started research for my cookbook, Tin to Table, I was still new to the world of tinned mussels. I knew I liked Patagonia’s smoked rendition, but when I started to dip into the world of Spanish-style mussels en escabeche (a.k.a. “pickled mussels” or “mussels in olive oil and vinegar”), something really clicked.
The glossy mussels were coated in a complex orange vinaigrette spiked with paprika and garlic that somehow manages to feel refreshing and bracing in the heat of summer. Although my tin collection is full of tuna, mackerel, and sardines, mussels are what I keep reaching for when I want a special, glamorous accompaniment to a salad-and-baguette kind of dinner.
