Garlic Steamed Mussels With Pimentôn Aïoli Recipes

STEAMED MUSSELS WITH SPICY RED PEPPER AIOLI

Steps:

• To make the aioli: Place the red pepper on an open flame or grill. Turn to blacken on all sides. When fully charred, remove to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let pepper cool, until you can handle it comfortably. Using your fingers, remove blackened skin to reveal the red color underneath. (A paper towel will wipe off what you can't remove with your fingers.) Coarsely chop the pepper and place it in the bowl of a food processor. Add the yolks, garlic, vinegar, chili paste, and salt to taste. Puree until the mixture is homogeneous. While the machine is running VERY slowly drizzle in the oil, until incorporated. Check the aioli for texture and flavor. If it's too thick, add a few drops of water to thin it down, or on the flip side if it's too thin add more oil. The desired outcome is a fairly thin aioli. Check the flavor and add more salt or chili paste, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• To cook the mussels: In a pot, large enough to accommodate all the mussels, generously coat with olive oil. Add the onions and bring to a medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Cook the onions until they are very soft and aromatic but have no color. Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaf and cook for another 2 to3 minutes. Stir to be sure the garlic doesn't burn. Add the mussels and stir to coat with the oil. Add the wine and cover the pot. Steam the mussels for 5 to 6 minutes or until all the shells open. If some shells don't open, cook them for a little longer. Sometimes the freshest mussels are the most stubborn to open. Remove the mussels that don't open after longer cooking. When in doubt, throw out.
• While the mussels are steaming, grill or toast the slices of bread.
• Serve the mussels in individual bowls with lots of the juice from the bottom of the pot. Generously drizzle each bowl with the aioli. Garnish with toast. (You may want to have more toasted bread on hand to sop up the delicious liquid!)
• *RAW EGG WARNING
• Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.

GRILLED FISH WITH PIMENTóN AIOLI

Steps:

• Start a grill or preheat broiler. Mix together all but 1/2 teaspoon garlic, some salt and pepper, half the pimentón and olive oil. Brush one side of fish steaks with this mixture (if you are broiling, brush both sides). Put on grill, sauced side down, and brush other side. Grill or broil, turning once, until done, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine mayonnaise with remaining garlic and pimentón; add a little lemon juice and whisk; taste and adjust seasoning. Serve fish with a dollop of aioli.

GARLIC STEAMED MUSSELS WITH PIMENTôN AïOLI

Steps:

• FOR THE AÏOLI
• Put the egg yolks, garlic, vinegar, pimentón, and a sprinkle of salt in a food processor and purée until the mixture is homogeneous. Then, with the machine running, VERY slowly drizzle in some of the oil until the mixture is thick and smooth. When it starts to look like mayonnaise, the rest of the oil can be added in a thin, slow stream; season with salt. You want relatively thin aïoli here. If it's too thick, add a few drops of water to thin it; or on the flip side, if it's too thin, add more oil. TASTE for seasoning, adjust if needed, and refrigerate until ready to use.
• FOR THE MUSSELS
• Coat the bottom of a large pot (big enough to hold all the mussels) with olive oil. Add the garlic and red pepper and bring to medium-high heat; cook until the garlic is golden and very aromatic, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add the mussels, oregano, and bay leaves and stir to coat with the oil; add the wine and cover the pot. Steam the mussels for 5 to 6 minutes; if not all the shells are open, continue to cook them all a little longer. While the mussels are steaming, grill the bread.
• Serve the mussels in bowls with lots of juice from the pot (as much as you like!). Generously drizzle each bowl with the aïoli, garnish with the scallions, and serve the toasted bread alongside.
• note
• When you buy mussels, or any shellfish for that matter, make sure you buy them in mesh bags-remember, these guys are alive and they need to breathe! They also need to stay cold, so don't be afraid to ask your fishmonger for a bag of ice to toss in your shopping bag. Scrub the mussels well and refrigerate them until you're ready to cook (but do not put them in a bowl of water!). If any shells are cracked or broken, toss them. The rule is: When in doubt, throw 'em out.
• note
• When it comes to cooking shellfish, the ones that don't open are the freshest-continue to cook them until they give it up!

LEMON AND GARLIC STEAMED MUSSELS

Steps:

• 1. PLACE mussels in large skillet without water. Cover and cook over medium heat, removing the mussels to a warm platter as they open. Discard any that do not open.
• 2. REDUCE liquid in the skillet to about 2 or 3 tablespoons. Return mussels to skillet. Sprinkle with olive oil, lemon juice and garlic. Heat for 1 minute.
• 3. SERVE immediately with crusty bread for dunking.

STEAMED MUSSELS WITH WHITE WINE AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Clean mussels. In large pot heat wine. Add garlic, onion, and parsley. Bring to a boil and add mussels. Cover and steam until mussels open. Serve with Italian bread.

STEAMED GARLIC AND HERB MUSSELS

Steps:

• Scrub mussels remove beards.
• Heat oil in large saucepan, cook garlic, chili and rind stirring, about 3 minutes.
• Add mussels, juice and wine, bring to boil.
• Cook covered about 5 minutes until mussels open.
• (discard any that do not open) Remove mussels from pan, Bring pan liquid to boil; cook, uncovered about 10 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly, stir in basil and parsley.
• Return mussels to pan and simmer until heated through.
• Have some crusty bread to wipe up the liquid.

STEAMED MUSSELS WITH GARLIC AND PARSLEY

Steps:

• Heat broiler. Put olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and red pepper and let sizzle for 30 seconds without browning. Add the mussels, stir to coat and increase heat to high. Add the wine or water, and put on lid. After 2 minutes, give the mussels a stir, then replace lid and continue cooking until all mussels have opened, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Paint cut sides of the baguette pieces with oil and place cut side up under broiler to toast. Rub toasts with the remaining garlic cloves.
• Stir the chopped parsley into the mussels, then ladle mussels and broth into bowls. Serve with the garlic toasts.