Table Talk
Wowwed by Mussels
As I was grocery shopping for the fam today, I was gazing at the fresh seafood behind the counter, waiting to order some tilapia for dinner tonight and noticed a net filled with unusually nice looking mussels. They looked fresh, pristine, each tightly closed, with no broken shells. Being completely influenced by my eyes and imagination, I immediately shifted gears on the spot, changing my menu for the evening to feature fresh mussels. Not that I knew what I would end up doing with these particular mussels. Part of the fun is discovering new ways to cook things, so when I arrived home, I began a search to find THE mussel recipe for the evening. It took some time to come to a decision but I finally settled on a recipe that was completely different from anything we'd tried before. We have eaten mussels in many ways, in many places: at Le Central in Denver with unlimited fries, at the funky El Camino in Seattle, along the Seine in Paris, many times in my own kitchen. And ambiance aside (I mean, how can anything beat moules and frites in Paris?) this was the most delicious meal of mussels we've ever had.
Mussels with Tomatoes, Jalapenos and Tequila (recipe follows)
Crusty French Bread (to soak up the incredible sauce)
Southwestern Salad with Red Peppers, Corn, Avocado and Chipotle Dressing
Mussels with Tomatoes, Jalapenos and Tequila
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
5 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1 jalapeño chili, sliced 1/4" and halved
1/3 cup tequila
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 pounds mussels, scrubbed, debearded
Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Mix in tomatoes, then next 5 ingredients. Add mussels. Cover and steam until mussels open, about 7 minutes (discard any mussels that do not open). Using slotted spoon, transfer mussels to large bowl. Simmer sauce uncovered until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over mussels and serve.
Serves 2 for dinner
Adapted from Bon Appétit Magazine, July 2000
Original Recipe from Monet's Table, Sarnia, Ontario
