Spicy Mussels Snack Plate
If you haven't jumped on the tinned fish bandwagon, you're missing out on easy, delicious, high protein snacks & girl dinners!
It’s a whole new world of tinned fish out here… and it’s TASTY!
Since the wordsmith behind the culinary genius in this blog pairing was a tinned fish skeptic for, well, ever, this post is partially a recipe, an apology, and a love letter to an entirely new playing field for summer snack plates and charcuterie boards. Since ‘opening a can of worms’ implies creating problems and chaos (and reasonably, because gross), we should collectively start using “opening a tin of fish” as a euphemism for creating boundless creative, exciting opportunities.
While neither of us is a stranger to the snack plate, we’ve been more and more excited about them as South Florida enters the summer season. Something about the idea of turning on the oven or sweating over the stovetop while the AC cranks even harder to offset it just rubs us the wrong way. We’d rather crack open some spicy, briny fish & build the perfect summer bite that still packs some protein to keep us nourished through the heat of the day.
Something else that’s gotten us excited about tinned fish snacks? A cookbook, of course! We’ve been fangirling over Anna Hezel’s Tin to Table during at least 50% of our meeting time (the other 50% is eating). Not only is the book design truly a work of art, but the recipes & flavor combinations are chef’s kiss… literally, I think Megan kissed the cover a few times. My favorite addition to the book is likely the section titled: “Very Fun Places to Shop for Tinned Fish.” Anna is the ultimate fish girl’s fish girl - expert tips for shopping somewhere cute & local is a much appreciated bonus to an already beautiful book!
Megan compiled her inspo & built us an easy, tasty ~girl lunch~ complete with open & serve spicy mussels from Patagonia Provisions. While looking at their website for additional offerings I might not have found in my local store, I noticed they offer a tinned seafood sampler box that even includes a copy of Tin to Table - and it’s on sale! (We’re not even sponsored but consider this our application, Patagonia. ❤️)
Spicy Mussels Snack Plate
While you’ll have to invest in your own copy of Tin to Table for Anna’s specific recipes & recommendations (support writers!! 👏🏽), here are some of the ingredients we mixed and matched to create a variety of bites. Since the mussels are spicy, briny, & soft, chef recommends adding a component (or components) that adds something creamy, fatty, & crunchy for a nice contrast of textures & flavors.
Mix & Match Ingredients:
Patagonia Provisions spicy mussels (or your favorite brand available near you)
Toasty sourdough, seedy cracker, or crunchy crispbread
Burrata cheese (or a nice roasted garlic aioli from Stonewall Kitchen for dairy free)
Lemon wedges, lemon juice, or preserved lemons
Maldon smoked sea salt (sure, fine, any salt will do)
Artichokes (if using marinated artichokes, an additional fatty component is likely too overpowering - just a mussel & an artichoke on your crunch vehicle!)
Calabrian chilis, sliced (or pickled chilis if you’re more of a mild spice girl)
SoFlo locals! Let us feed you this Saturday 5/17!
Last call for this weekend’s Supper Club at Spud’s Coffee in Fort Lauderdale! Join Megan, Julia, & our cute team of foodies & friends for a delicious evening of family-style dining. We’ll take care of the food & hospitality, you just show up hungry (& BYOW!) 😋🍷
3 Course Prix-Fixe Menu + Welcome Mocktail | 7:00pm – 9:30pm | $80 per person
In Case You Missed It:
Thanks for stopping by! We hope to feed & host you soon. If you’ve made any of our recipes or have enjoyed our dinners, we want your feedback 🤎