MUSSEL TOAST

(Serves 6-8)
1 sourdough boule, sliced and toasted
½ lb mussels in escabeche
½ cup pickled fresno aioli
1 hachiya persimmon, peeled and diced
2 small bunches frisee or other bitter green
2 TBL pink peppercorn crumble

MUSSELS IN ESCABECHE

½ lb mussels, cooked and shelled (you can find frozen, pre-cooked at most grocery stores)

5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

12 sprigs thyme

1 TBL cider vinegar

1 TBL good olive oil

2 tsp preserved lemon (or zest of 1 lemon)

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 bay leaf

1 thai chili, seeded and thinly chopped (optional)

½ tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp black pepper

Mix and combine everything in a gallon-sized Ziplock bag. Massage to distribute all the contents, and let marinate 4-6 hours.

PICKLED FRESNO CHILIS 

1.5c h2o

1.5c white distilled vinegar

2 TBL sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

8ish fresno chilis, cut into ⅛” rings

Combine vinegar, h2o, salt and sugar in a small sauce pot and bring to a boil. As soon as you hit boiling point, pull from heat and pour over fresnos. Let stand in liquid at least a day before using. This will keep for a couple weeks in the fridge. Honestly just keep this on hand at all times. We use either the pickled chilis or the brine for just about everything. Great to toss onto sandwiches, in salads, pasta dishes, making quick vinaigrettes, seriously anything. 

PICKLED FRESNO AIOLI

1 egg plus 1 yolk

1 TBL dijon

2 cloves roasted garlic, minced

24g pickled fresnos, minced 

30g fresno pickling liquid 

1 tsp salt

1.5 cups olive or grapeseed oil

Combine eggs, dijon, garlic, chilis, pickling liquid, and salt in a bowl and whisk. Or use a blender. Slowly drizzle—ok just a little slower—oil into mix, while whisking vigorously until oil is incorporated and your aioli is thick and silky. Makes about 2 cups. 

(Also, you could just simply whisk some sriracha, a big glop of mayo, and a touch of honey, and you’ll be just fine.)

PINK PEPPERCORN SPICE MIX

1 TBL pink peppercorn

1 TBL dried, crushed orange peel

1 tsp fennel seed

1 tsp coriander seed

Gently toast fennel and coriander seed. Combine all and crush with mortar and pestle or coarsely grind in a spice grinder.

To serve:

Lightly toast the sliced sourdough pieces in the oven or on the stove top. Spread a generous schmear of the aioli, place 4-8 mussels (depending on whether you slice half or whole cross-sections of the boule) and 1-2 tablespoons of diced persimmon, arranged neatly and evenly on the toast. Lightly dress the greens with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt, and place adjacent or on top of toast. Top with pink peppercorn spice blend.

Voilà.