Oven-Gratined Mussels with Walnut Pesto

I can offer you an Italian variant of oven-gratined mussels enriched with a touch of walnut pesto. You’ll see that it will add a unique and surprising flavor to the dish!

Ingredients:

• 1 kg of fresh mussels
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Chopped parsley to taste
• 100 g of breadcrumbs
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the walnut pesto:

• 100 g of walnuts
• 1 clove of garlic
• 50 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 10 basil leaves
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Start by cleaning the mussels by removing the byssus and scraping off the encrustations on the shell. Rinse them under running water.
2. Open the mussels in a large pan with a clove of garlic and a drizzle of oil. Cover and cook until the shells open, then let them cool.
3. In the meantime, prepare the walnut pesto by putting the walnuts, basil, garlic, Parmesan, salt, and extra virgin olive oil in a blender. Blend until you get a smooth cream, adjusting with oil or water if it’s too thick.
4. Detach one of the shells of the mussels leaving the mollusk attached to the remaining shell.
5. Prepare a mixture with breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and oil. Mix well.
6. Arrange the mussels on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
7. Spread a bit of walnut pesto over each mussel, then cover with the breadcrumb mixture.
8. Bake at 200 °C for about 5-7 minutes or until the surface becomes golden and crispy.
9. Remove from the oven and serve the gratinated mussels hot, accompanied by lemon wedges.

Oven-gratined mussels with walnut pesto are a reinterpretation of the classic seafood appetizer. The addition of walnut pesto provides an intriguing taste contrast that balances out the flavor of the mussels with its richness and sweetness.

If you do not have breadcrumbs, you can coarsely chop some stale bread. And if you are lactose intolerant, eliminate the cheese from the pesto or replace it with a lactose-free version.