Tuna Stuffed Mussels with Caper and Lemon Mayonnaise

From issue #7.
Photography by Vanessa Wu.
Tuna Stuffed Mussels with Caper and Lemon Mayonnaise

Serves: 6-8

INGREDIENTS

Mussels
36 medium mussels, scrubbed and beards removed
½ cup tuna in oil
2 tablespoons capers, roughly chopped if large
4 hard-boiled egg yolks
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
seasoned flour for dusting mussels
2 eggs, lightly beaten in a shallow dish
good quality dried breadcrumbs, home-made or Japanese panko
canola oil for frying

Mayonnaise
1 egg plus 1 yolk
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic crushed
½ cup olive oil
½ cup canola oil
2 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

METHOD

Mussels: Place the mussels in a large pot with a little water and a few slices of lemon. Cover and bring to the boil. Remove the mussels as they open and discard any that don’t. When cool enough to handle remove the meat and discard the shells.

Remove the tongue from each mussel. Mash the tuna, capers, yolks, lemon zest and mayonnaise together in a bowl and season to taste. Fill each mussel with a good teaspoon of the tuna mixture and pull the meat together to close. Coat in the flour then in egg, and lastly in breadcrumbs. Set aside, covered in the fridge if not using immediately. In a wide, heavy based sauté pan heat ½ cm canola oil until hot but not smoking. Fry
the mussels in batches, quickly on both sides, until golden. Drain on paper towels.

Serve piled up on a platter with lemon wedges and the caper and lemon mayonnaise for dipping. Serves 6-8

Mayonnaise: Place the egg and yolk, lemon zest and garlic in a food processor and blend. With the motor running add the oil in a thin stream until a thick emulsion forms. Add the capers, parsley and lemon juice and season to taste. Pulse just to combine and transfer to a serving bowl. Makes 1 ½ cups