Let's move on to local products. Sardines from the previous post are one of the cheapest fish, readily available in markets, fish shops, and supermarkets. Next in accessibility and popularity come seashells—more specifically, mussels. Clean, light protein fresh from the sea is what makes shellfish so special to me. At home in Kyiv, I hesitate to buy fresh mussels (the sea is too far), but there are always good frozen options, often pre-marinated with garlic, wine, herbs, or tomato sauce. These are worth paying attention to—they reflect the classic pairings for shellfish. Mussels require only a few ingredients and no more than 10 minutes to prepare. In Istria, shellfish are one of the most local products you can find, so let’s cook.
- 2 kg of mussels
- 1 large onion
- 6 garlic cloves
- olive oil
- 2 large ripe tomatoes (or 100 ml tomato sauce if tomatoes are out of season)
- 200 ml of dry white wine
- a bunch of parsley
Wash the mussels, removing visible seaweed or other debris. Discard any mussels with cracked shells or those that don’t close when tapped. Finely chop the onion, garlic, and tomatoes. Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a large pot with a thick bottom. Sauté the onion and garlic until lightly golden. Add the tomatoes or tomato sauce, reduce the heat, and simmer for 3–4 minutes. Pour in the wine, let it cook for another 2–3 minutes, then add the mussels. Cover and cook over medium heat for 4–6 minutes, gently stirring the mussels and sauce once a minute. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with the sauce, which pairs perfectly with fresh white bread for dipping.
If you’re not particularly fond of mussels but want to give them a try, serve them with dipping sauces. Red, green, spicy, or sweet-and-sour sauces complement mussels beautifully.
Small mackerel and donax
A bit more expensive than mussels and sardines but undeniably delicious.
Small fish and all shellfish can be cooked in the previous tomato-wine sauce, but here’s an equally simple and silkier alternative.
- 200 ml white wine
- olive oil
- butter
- 1 garlic head
- parsley
Melt butter in olive oil in a skillet. Sauté finely chopped garlic until lightly golden. Pour in the wine, add the fish and shellfish, cover, and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Serve with the flavorful sauce-broth.
Both recipes pair wonderfully with plenty of chilled white wine or homemade lemonade.
Wash the mussels, removing visible seaweed or other debris. Discard any mussels with cracked shells or those that don’t close when tapped. Finely chop the onion, garlic, and tomatoes. Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a large pot with a thick bottom. Sauté the onion and garlic until lightly golden. Add the tomatoes or tomato sauce, reduce the heat, and simmer for 3–4 minutes. Pour in the wine, let it cook for another 2–3 minutes, then add the mussels. Cover and cook over medium heat for 4–6 minutes, gently stirring the mussels and sauce once a minute. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with the sauce, which pairs perfectly with fresh white bread for dipping.
If you’re not particularly fond of mussels but want to give them a try, serve them with dipping sauces. Red, green, spicy, or sweet-and-sour sauces complement mussels beautifully.
Small mackerel and donax
A bit more expensive than mussels and sardines but undeniably delicious.
Small fish and all shellfish can be cooked in the previous tomato-wine sauce, but here’s an equally simple and silkier alternative.
- 200 ml white wine
- olive oil
- butter
- 1 garlic head
- parsley
Melt butter in olive oil in a skillet. Sauté finely chopped garlic until lightly golden. Pour in the wine, add the fish and shellfish, cover, and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Serve with the flavorful sauce-broth.
Both recipes pair wonderfully with plenty of chilled white wine or homemade lemonade.
