MUSSELS WITH MARINARA AND RED PEPPER DIPPING SAUCES

Prep time 45 minutes   

Active prep time 25 minutes

Special equipment needed – Dutch oven

Special skills needed – None

Serves 4

Whenever I make a big pot of steamed mussels, I think of all the endless possibilities for flavors and I can never quite decide which ones to use.  Inevitably, I end up making at least two.  It adds variety and color to the table and it saves me from making the tough decision of which one to eliminate.  I also almost always toss in a few clams.  What can it hurt, right?

Mussels are like chicken wings.  You can cook them plain and then toss them in whatever sauce you want.  I like them in a garlic butter sauce, lemon butter sauce, white wine sauce, or a spicy ginger and chili sauce.  More often than not though, I go with my tried and true marinara and a roasted red pepper sauce.  You can make one or both of the sauces.  They are equally good.  For the marinara, you can simmer a homemade sauce on the stove top all day, but I find that your favorite jar sauce is a fine starting point and they all just need a little love to make them great.

INGREDIENTS:

For the Marinara:

1 Quart jar of Marinara sauce

½ teaspoon Cracked red pepper

4 Cloves minced garlic

½ Cup Red wine

For the Red Pepper Sauce:

2 Tablespoons Olive oil

5 Red Bell peppers

2 Fresno peppers (Optional) Add these if you like a little heat

¼ Cup Fresh basil

4 Cloves minced garlic

2 Tablespoons Cream

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Tablespoon Lime juice (optional)

Sugar to taste (optional)

For the mussels:

3 Tablespoons Olive oil

1 Medium Shallot - Chopped

½ teaspoon Red pepper flakes

4 lbs Mussels

1 teaspoon salt

½ Cup Water

½ cup dry white wine

For the marinara, combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a low boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for at least 15 minutes or up to an hour.

For the roasted red pepper sauce, brush with olive oil and roast all of the peppers either on a grill or under a broiler, turning occasionally so that the skin blackens evenly around the whole pepper.  Rinse under cold water and then remove the skin.  

Remove the seeds and then puree the peppers with the basil in a blender.  In a skillet, bring the olive oil to medium high heat and add the minced garlic.  Cook for about 2 minutes, then add the pepper puree.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Add cream and salt and pepper to taste.  Add lime juice and a pinch of sugar if you like.

For the mussels, thoroughly wash the mussels, discarding any of them that are cracked or open.  Heat the olive oil over high heat in a Dutch oven or other heavy bottomed pan.  Add the shallot and cook, stirring constantly for 3 minutes.  Add the red pepper flakes and stir until incorporated into the mixture.   Add the mussels and toss to coat them well.  Mix the salt with the water and pour it into the pot.  It needs to get to the bottom to create steam, but you don’t want to wash all the flavor off of the shellfish, so try to pour it straight to the bottom.  Do the same with the wine.  Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes until all of the shells have opened.  When the mussels are ready, toss them around in the pan juices and then drain off the excess.  I usually serve the mussels family style in the big pot and give each person a small bowl of each sauce and a plate for shells.  If you prefer, you could toss half of the mussels in each sauce and then serve them in bowls.  Whatever you do, don’t forget to serve it with a nice slab of crusty bread.