Chilean Mussel Salpicon
Chilean Salpicon de Mariscos
Del Campo Restaurant
Washington, D.C.
Salpicon de Mariscos translates to “seafood splash,” a name that sounds and tastes refreshing. This Latin-inspired mixed seafood salad features mussels and an assortment of fresh summer vegetables. Although the dish requires a bit of prep, it can be done in stages and assembled just before serving.
Ingredients
36 mussels, cleaned with beards removed
1 avocado
6 leaves kale, washed and dried
6 whole piquillo peppers
8 marble potatoes, washed and boiled until tender
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper. diced
1/2 Spanish onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz. white wine
6 tbsp. aioli
1 tsp. merqueen spice
4 oz. sherry vinegar
2 tbsp. parsley, chopped
1/2 shallot, minced
4 slices baguette, sliced on a bias in 1/2-in. slices
Steps
1. For piquillo pepper escabeche: In mixing bowl, combine diced piquillo peppers with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 4 ounces sherry vinegar, chopped parsley and minced shallot.
Cover and set aside in refrigerator.
2. For sofrito: In medium frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Add red and yellow peppers and let sweat, about 2 minutes. Add Spanish onion, continuously mixing and allow to cook for 4 more minutes. Add garlic and merqueen and continue to cook, reducing heat to medium. Cook mixture for 20 minutes, until it turns into a chunky paste. If mixture sticks, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time. Remove from heat and season with salt to taste. Puree in a blender and mix with 4 tablespoons aioli. Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 425 F. Brush baguette with olive oil and toast until crispy, about 4 minutes.
4. Heat 2 medium sized cast iron pans, one on medium heat and one on high heat.
5. Cut avocado in half and remove seed, keeping peel on. Place cut side down in high heat pan. Cook until outer layer becomes charred, about 30 to 45 seconds. Remove from pan and set aside with charred side facing upwards.
6. In same pan, add mussels in dry, turning every 30 seconds until they begin to open. Deglaze pan with white wine. Remove mussels and save remaining liquid. Once slightly cooled, whisk reserved liquid together with 2 teaspoons aioli and let sit at room temperature. Open mussel shells, keeping mussel attached to 1/2 of the shell and discarding the other.
7. Slice marble potatoes in half and char in high heat pan. Remove potatoes from pan and add 1 tablespoon olive oil and kale leaves, allowing them to blister and lightly fry. Season with salt and remove from pan.
8. To assemble, remove avocado from peel and cut in large dice. Place mussels, charred marble potatoes and diced avocado on serving platter. Add piquillo pepper escabeche on top of mussels, using remaining vinegar to spread over dish. Tear leaves of blistered kale in small pieces to garnish. Pour mussel-aioli jus into dish. Spread sofrito-merquen aioli on baguette slices and place around dish.