Mussels and Verace Clams Salad

The mussel and verace clam salad is a fresh and light seafood appetizer. Here is the recipe to prepare this delicious dish.

Ingredients

• 500 g fresh mussels
• 500 g verace clams
• 2 garlic cloves
• Fresh parsley to taste
• Juice of half a lemon
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Coarse sea salt to taste (for purifying the clams)

Preparation

1. First, it is necessary to purify the clams from the sand. To do this, place them in a bowl with cold water and coarse salt for at least an hour, changing the water a couple of times.
2. Rinse the mussels well under running water.
3. In a large pot, lightly sauté a crushed garlic clove with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Add the mussels and cover with a lid to let them open over high heat, shaking the pot occasionally (about 5 minutes).
4. Once the mussels have opened, remove them from the pot and let them cool, then shell them, leaving a few mussels in the shell for decoration.
5. Repeat the same procedure for the clams, in another pot, always sautéing another garlic clove first.
6. When the clams have also opened, turn off the heat and shell them, as done for the mussels.
7. In a bowl, combine the shelled mussels and clams. Season with extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, chopped parsley, and a grind of black pepper.
8. Gently mix the mussel and verace clam salad and serve at room temperature or chilled, according to preference.

Trivia

The mussel and clam salad is a traditional dish from Italian coastal regions. It is often served as an appetizer or main course, especially during the summer for its freshness. The quality of the seafood is fundamental for the success of the dish, so always make sure to buy fresh products from a reliable source.