dynamite baked mussels

after defrosting...they came all the way from new zealand!

usually, i bake a dozen at a time and have my babies eat them with rice if they like. it is extremely quick and easy to make! i also have served these as hor'd oeuvres at dinner parties.

i promise, you will no longer have to spend $10 for only 2 pieces at a sushi restaurant!

what you will need:
2 dozen new zealand green lip mussels (frozen or alive)
a pinch of hon dashi pellets
3/4 cup kewpie mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of masago (smelt roe)
chopped green onions
scissors


directions:
pre-heat your broiler or toaster oven to 350 degrees.

if using live mussels, cover and steam in a basket or colander over boiling water just until the mussels pop open (chuck any that remain closed; they're dead). then take them off the heat immediately. throw away the extra shells and arrange the mussels on the half shell, meat side up, on a foil-lined baking pan. use scissors to cut the mussels into smaller pieces for easier eating later!

do not use a cookie sheet because there will be escaping juices.

if you are using frozen mussels (which are usually pre-cooked), simply arrange the mussels in the same way on the baking pan. the mussels will defrost slightly while you put the sauce together. (use scissors to cut the mussels into smaller pieces for easier eating later!)

for the sauce, first drop a pinch of the hon dashi pellets into a bowl, add kewpie mayo, and masago. combine the mixture with a spoon until smooth.

then spoon the sauce over each mussel and put just enough to cover each completely.

place the mussels under the broiler or toaster oven to cook.

check frequently and rotate the pan occasionally to even out the browning and compensate for hot spots. cook until the sauce bubbles and gets golden brown with a few dark spots forming. it takes approximately 15 minutes for the cooking time and not more.

add a little of the chopped green onions on each then serve immediately!

enjoy!

i forgot to take a photo of chopped green onions on top!