Buzara
Buzara: Dalmatian mussels in garlic, white wine, parsley and breadcrumbs
Summer lunch on the Dalmatian coast often starts with a steaming pot of buzara, especially near Ston, where mussels and oysters are farmed in the bay. Na bijelo, the white style, means mussels opened in olive oil, garlic, parsley and white wine, with a spoon of breadcrumbs thrown in at the end to thicken the juices into a light, garlicky sauce. Serve with plenty of crusty bread for mopping and a bowl for empty shells. The wine cooks off but leaves flavour; for an alcohol-free version use the same amount of fish or vegetable stock with a tablespoon of white wine vinegar. Overcooking is where most people go wrong: pull the pot off as soon as most shells have opened, or the mussels turn rubbery. Chef's tip: shake the pot rather than stirring, so the mussels tumble without breaking their shells.
- Total time
- 22 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 3 ⅓ lb live mussels
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 5 cloves garlicfinely chopped
- ¾ cup dry white wineor 150 ml stock plus 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- ⅔ oz flat-leaf parsleyfinely chopped
- 3 tbsp fine dried breadcrumbs
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 4 lemon wedges (optional)
- 4 slices crusty bread (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Scrub the 3 ⅓ lb live mussels under cold running water and pull off the beards. Tap any open mussels on the counter and throw away any that stay open, along with any with cracked shells.
8 minStep 3: Turn the heat to high, add the mussels, pour in the ¾ cup dry white wine and add half the ⅓ oz flat-leaf parsley. Cover and cook for 4–5 minutes, shaking the pan, until the shells have opened wide and the flesh is plump and opaque.
5 minStep 4: Throw away any mussels that have stayed shut.
1 minStep 5: Sprinkle over the 3 tbsp fine dried breadcrumbs, ½ tsp black pepper and the rest of the ⅓ oz flat-leaf parsley, cover and shake for 1 minute, until the juices thicken slightly.
1 minStep 6: Serve at once in bowls with the juices, 4 lemon wedges and 4 slices crusty bread.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 25 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does buzara take?
- About 22 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of dry white wine?
- Stock with 1 tsp white wine vinegar per 120ml (½ cup).
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