Mussels with Green Crab Broth & Smoked Kelp

By: Chef Alissa Tsukakoshi
Inn at Hastings Park

In honor of World Oceans Day on Saturday, June 8th, chef Alissa Tsukakoshi of Town Meeting Bistro at the Inn at Hastings Park (a Relais & Châteaux property in Lexington), shares a recipe that serves two purposes. This summery dish solves the age old question “what’s for dinner?” and also helps curb the population of green crabs, an invasive species that preys on local shellfish populations and destroys seagrass beds. It’s part of the Relais & Châteaux World Oceans Day global initiative to raise awareness among their chefs and guests on the importance of sustainable seafood products.

Try making it at home and do your part to help maintain healthy oceans – see where to buy green crabs online here and have at it.

Details

Servings: 1

Ingredients

for the mussels
  • 1 pint mussels
  • 1 tablespoon smoked kelp
  • 1 teaspoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • pinch of salt
  • 4 ounces green crab stock (recipe below)
for the green crab stock 
  • 3 pounds green crab
  • 5 onions
  • 1 fennel bulb
  • 3 stalks celery
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 quart clam juice
  • 3 quarts water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 5 sprigs thyme

Directions

for the green crab stock
  1. Rinse green crabs and put into a pot. Crush lightly with a mallet.
  2. Small dice onions, fennel, celery and put into the pot.
  3. Add garlic, bay leaf, and thyme.
  4. Add clam juice and water. Add more water if needed to cover the ingredients.
  5. Bring to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes.
  6. Skim as needed and strain.
for the mussels
  1. Clean mussels.
  2. Heat a sauté pan until very hot. Add mussels directly into the pan.
  3. Add green crab broth and cover with a lid. Mussels will open after a couple of minutes.
  4. Once the mussels open, add the kelp and butter and a pinch of salt.

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