These mussels are prepared in a very curious way. The recipe of tiger mussels is cooked all over Spain and it is one of the most delicious tapas, although it is originally from Galicia. In this community there is a great tradition of cultivation of mussels. Its name is due to the spicy origin of the recipe. The spiciest ones are called “rabid tigers”.
Tiger mussels have a unique and very rich flavor. It is a mixture made of mussels and other ingredients such as milk and flour, on the mussel shell, battered and fried. A perfect recipe for a starter. Similar to croquette dough in appearance, but very different in taste. A unique and curious recipe that you have to prepare.
Tiger mussels | Shutterstock
Ingredients for 5 people:
- 1 kg of mussels
- 1 onion
- 50 g butter
- 50 g wheat flour
- 500 ml milk
- 2 eggs
- 200 g bread crumbs
- Sunflower oil for frying
- 1 pinch of salt (to taste)
How to make the tiger mussels:
- The first step to prepare this recipe will be to prepare the mussels. Clean the mussels well. This is a somewhat tedious step, but very necessary. It is important that you clean them very well and remove the little hairs that cover the mussel shell, scraping the shell with a knife. Now, put a pot on the fire with water, pour the mussels and cover it to cook them.
- When you see them open, they are ready. Reserve the water in which they have been cooked for later use. Remove the mussels from the shells and cut them into very small pieces. Peel and cut the onion into very fine pieces as well. Put a frying pan on the fire with the butter and add the onion to poach. When it gets a golden color, add the chopped mussels.
- Stir well the mussels with the onion and add the flour. Continue stirring so that the flour cooks and the ingredients are integrated. It is important to cook the flour well so that it does not get a bad taste. Now, with the water from the pot in which the mussels have been cooked, take about 100 ml of it and strain it. Add it to the mixture in the pan so that it mixes with the ingredients. This enhances the flavor of this recipe.
Now, add the hot milk to the mixture and stir well. Do this step little by little, so that a cream forms with the ingredients. When you see that the cream comes off the pan a little, it is ready. Add salt to taste. When the mixture is ready, remove it from the heat and let it cool well. - When the dough has cooled, for about two hours in the fridge, we can move on to stuffing the mussels. Fill the mussel shells with a soup spoon full of batter. Repeat this step until all the shells are filled. Fill a bowl with breadcrumbs and another bowl with the beaten eggs. Now dip the mussel in the egg and then in the breadcrumbs. Repeat this step with the rest of the mussels.
- Now, all that remains is to fry them in plenty of sunflower oil. Fry the mussels well on both sides until golden brown. Remove them when they are ready and, with a piece of kitchen paper, let them release the excess oil. When they are ready, it is time to serve them and enjoy this typical Spanish tapa.
