SAUTEED MUSSELS WITH CHORIZO
Prep time 35 minutes
Active prep time 25 minutes
Special equipment needed – Dutch oven
Special skills needed – None
Serves 4
Mussels and chorizo are an outstanding pair. The brininess of the mussels goes well with the chorizo spices and tones down that heavy, greasy chorizo flavor. For this recipe, I like to use the raw, uncured chorizo that cooks up almost like ground beef. If you prefer a more firm texture, you’ll want to dice it up for this recipe. This dish has some big flavors, but is not too heavy. It is a hearty, soulful winter meal that warms your belly and has just enough spice to warm your tongue as well. It is fairly quick and simple to produce and it looks fancy on the plate. Serve it with a rustic sourdough or a thick slice of French bread. It is great with a glass of dry white wine, but it has enough punch to stand up to a full bodied red if you prefer. Or drink a big glass of Scotch or some blue Kool-aid. Drink what you want. It’s none of my business.
INGREDIENTS:
4 Ounces Chorizo
3 Cloves Minced garlic
1 Cup Dry white wine
1 Cup Cherry tomatoes
3 Tablespoons Olive oil
1 Medium Shallot - Chopped
½ teaspoon Red pepper flakes
4 lbs Mussels
1 teaspoon salt
½ Cup Water
1 Tablespoon Chopped cilantro
Thoroughly wash the mussels, discarding any of them that are cracked or open. Cook the chorizo over medium high heat for 3 minutes in a big skillet, big enough to hold 4 lbs of mussels. If you don’t have one big enough, you can always drain the mussels and toss them with the sauce in a big bowl at the end. Add the garlic, wine, and cherry tomatoes and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the tomatoes pop.
While these are cooking, 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. Cover and cook for 8 minutes. The shells should be mostly open. If not, give them a bit more time. When it is ready, toss the mussels in the broth and then drain off the excess. When the tomatoes have popped, add the mussels and sauté for another minute. Add the cilantro and toss again to coat the shells. Serve a healthy scoop of mussels with plenty of the chorizo mixture and some toasted firm bread. Don’t forget a bowl to toss all of those shells in.
