A tasty mussel appetizer!
Oreganata is an old Italian preparation for clams. Oreganata is simply bread crumbs moistened with olive oil that are flavored with salt, black pepper and oregano. Lemon wedges are served on the side with oreganata. The fresh lemon flavor squeezed over clams oreganata adds a nice fresh touch. Mussels are also commonly served oreganata style. The simple oreganata flavor is perfect for mussels. Garlic is not in the original oreganata recipe, but many chefs add garlic. I usually do not add garlic to oreganata, because garlic is in a casino topping. If I want a garlic flavor, then I go ahead and make the casino shellfish topping instead. For this recipe, I decked out the simple oreganata topping and added a variety of extra toppings! Piave Vecchio cheese is a classic aged grating cheese from Venice Italy and it has a unique rich flavor that is slightly sweet. Red jalapeno is a mildly spicy tasty chile pepper, as long as the seeds are removed. Red jalapeno adds an interesting spicy kick to oreganata. Crispy leek threads add a rich caramelized leek flavor that perfect with the extra toppings and the oreganata. Crispy leek threads are a common modern garnish that are easy to make.
Oreganata Topping: Good olive oil is best for this recipe. A mixture of olive oil and virgin olive oil is also nice. Place 4 tablespoons of fine plain Italian bread crumbs in a small mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the bread crumbs, while stirring with a fork, till the bread crumbs become moistened with olive oil. (The bread crumbs should not look saturated or wet with olive oil.) Season with 2 pinches of sea salt and black pepper. Add 3 pinches of oregano. Stir the ingredients together. Set the oreganata topping aside.
Crispy Leek Threads: Crispy leek thread cook quickly and the entire process only take a minute or two. Have a dry towel laid out to set the leek threads on, as soon as they become crisp! The entire leek can be used for making leek threads, but the middle and white section are best. Cut a 4" long section of leek. Split the leek section in half lengthwise. Cut the leek section halves lengthwise into very thin julienne strips. (About 1/32" to 1/16" wide maximum!) Heat a saute pan over medium/medium low heat. Add 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add 1/2 of the thin leek strips. Spread the leek strips evenly in the oil. Flip the leek strips with a cake spatula. Pan fry the leek threads, till they become a golden brown color and crisp. Gently use a cake spatula to place the fragile crisp leek threads on a dry lint free pastry towel to drain off any excess grease. Leave the crispy leek threads on the dry towel, till they are needed. Repeat these steps to fry the second half of the leek threads.
Celery and Red Jalapeno Fresh Relish: Sometimes a pleasant surprise is the unexpected! This small amount of refreshing relish tastes nice with the mussels and it is refreshing for the palate. It also helps to stabilize the mussels on the plate, so the mussels do not slide all over the place! Place 2 tablespoons of small diced peeled celery in a small mixing bowl. Add 1/2 tablespoon of small diced seeded red jalapeno. Add 1/2 tablespoon of small diced onion. Add sea salt and white pepper. Add 1/2 teaspoon of cider vinegar. Add 1/4 teaspoon of sugar. Add 1 small pinch of ginger powder. Add 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice. Stir the ingredients together and set the relish aside to marinate.
Mussels Oreganata with Formaggi Piave Vecchio, Red Jalapeno and Crispy Leek Threads: Place 5 green mussels on the half shell on a baking pan. Spread a 1/8" thick layer of the oreganata topping over the mussels. Sprinkle a tiny amount of finely grated piave vecchio cheese over the oreganata topping. Sprinkle a little bit of brunoise diced seeded red jalapeno pepper over the oreganata topping. Bake in a 350 degree oven, till the oreganata topping becomes toasted to a golden color and till the piave vecchio cheese melts. Remove the pan from the oven. Carefully and gently place some of the crispy leek threads on each mussel. Place a small mound of the celery and red jalapeno relish on the center of a plate. Arrange the finished mussels on the plate in a starfish pattern, with the pointed end of each mussel parked on top of the relish. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.
Viola! A modern touch for the classic oreganata topping with mussels. This is a great tasting mussels oreganata improvisation! Ciao Baby! ... Shawna
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