AppetizerSide Dish

Choros A La Chalaca

Name: Choros A La Chalaca
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: peruvian
Ingredients: 1,000 g mussel scrubbed and debearded; 1 cup water; 100 g red onion finely diced; 120 g tomato seeded and finely diced; 75 g corn kernel cooked; 1 pcs habanero pepper seeded and finely minced (optional); 10 g cilantro finely chopped; 60 ml lime juiced; 0.5 tsp salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper freshly ground

A classic Peruvian appetizer featuring steamed mussels on the half shell. They are topped with a zesty, fresh salsa made from onion, tomato, corn, chili, and lime, known as salsa chalaca.

An original recipe by Forkin

Total time: 45 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Per serving: 255 kcal

Gluten-free

Allergen information: may contain fish and molluscs. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.

Mise en place

Ingredients

1,000 gmussel, scrubbed and debearded
1 cupwater

salsa

100 gred onion, finely diced
120 gtomato, seeded and finely diced
75 gcorn kernel, cooked
1 pcshabanero pepper, seeded and finely minced(optional)
10 gcilantro, finely chopped
60 mllime, juiced
0.5 tspsalt
0.25 tspblack pepper, freshly ground

Equipment

slotted spoon · mixing bowl · cutting board · knife · serving platter · large pot with lid

The method

Step by step

1
Thoroughly scrub the mussels under cold running water and remove any beards by pulling them firmly towards the hinge of the shell.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Discard any mussels that are already open or have cracked shells before cooking.
2
Pour the water into a large pot or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat.
About 3 min
3
Add the cleaned mussels to the pot, cover immediately, and steam for 5-7 minutes until the shells have opened.
About 7 min
Cook’s note: Shake the pot once or twice during cooking to help the mussels cook evenly.
4
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the opened mussels to a large bowl, discarding any that remained closed. Let them cool for about 15 minutes.
About 15 min
5
While the mussels cool, prepare the salsa. In a medium bowl, combine the diced red onion, tomato, cooked corn, optional habanero pepper, and cilantro.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: For a milder flavor, you can rinse the diced onion in cold water for a minute and pat it dry before adding it to the salsa.
6
Pour the fresh lime juice over the salsa ingredients. Season with salt and black pepper, then stir gently to combine everything.
About 1 min
7
Once the mussels are cool enough to handle, twist off and discard the empty top shell from each one, leaving the meat in the bottom shell.
About 5 min
8
Arrange the mussels on the half shell on a serving platter and spoon a small amount of the salsa chalaca over each one.
About 4 min
9
Serve immediately while the salsa is fresh and the mussels are chilled.

Per serving

Nutrition

78%Score

Calories: 255.3kcal
Protein: 31.4g
Carbs: 19.5g
Fat: 5.9g
Fibre: 1.9g
Sugar: 3.1g

Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.

Keep it good

Storage

Store leftover mussels and salsa separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for best results.

Reheating

This dish is served chilled and should not be reheated.