Kettle Seared Garlic Pepper Mussels 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.

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.

ALE-STEAMED MUSSELS WITH GARLIC AND MUSTARD

Steps:

• Rinse mussels under cold running water. If you see hairy clumps around the shell (called beards), use a sharp knife or your fingers to pull them off, then scrub shells well with a vegetable brush.
• In a soup pot with a tight-fitting cover, heat olive oil, then add thyme, garlic, shallots and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté until shallots and garlic are softened, 3 minutes. Pour in ale and bring to a simmer. Add mussels and cover pot. Let mussels steam, stirring once or twice, until they open, 5 to 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer mussels to bowls. Discard any that have not opened.
• Add butter, herbs and mustard to pan juices and bring to a boil. Whisk until butter melts, then taste and correct seasonings (add more butter if liquid tastes bitter). Pour over mussels and serve with bread for sopping up juices.

STEAMED MUSSELS WITH PEPPERS

Steps:

• Tap mussels; discard any that do not close. Set aside. In a large skillet, saute jalapeno in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the clam juice, wine, red pepper, green onions, oregano and bay leaf., Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; add mussels. Cover and simmer for 5-6 minutes or until mussels open. Discard bay leaf and any unopened mussels. Sprinkle with parsley, salt and pepper. Serve with baguette slices if desired.

KETTLE-SEARED GARLIC-PEPPER MUSSELS

Steps:

• Warm a 3-qt (3-l) cast-iron kettle over medium-high heat. When hot, add the oil, garlic, shallots, and salt and sauté until golden brown, about 1 minute. Raise the heat to high, add the mussels, and toss to coat with the oil. Add the sugar, fish sauce, and 1 teaspoon pepper and stir to combine.
• Reduce the heat to medium-high, cover, and cook until the mussels open, 3-5 minutes. Discard any that failed to open. The sauce should be the consistency of a light syrup. If the sauce is too thin, using a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels to a plate. Raise the heat to high and cook the sauce, stirring frequently, until reduced, 3-5 minutes. Return the mussels to the kettle and toss to coat.
• Garnish the mussels with the chile and cilantro sprigs and serve right away.
• For a more formal supper, set out a small seafood fork at each place setting. At a more casual meal, your guests can also use an empty mussel shell as a pair of pincers to pick the meats from the shells. Show diners this trick at the table. Set out a large bowl for the empty shells.