Creamy Spiced Mussels Recipes

MUSSELS IN CURRY CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, cook shallots and garlic in simmering wine until translucent.
• Stir in cream and curry powder. When sauce is heated through, add mussels. Cover, and steam mussels for a few minutes, until their shells open wide. With a slotted spoon, transfer steamed mussels to a bowl, leaving the sauce in the pan. Discard any unopened mussels.
• Whisk butter into the cream sauce. Turn heat off, and stir in parsley and green onions. Serve immediately.

CREAMY MUSSELS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add shallots; cook, stirring, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add saffron, if desired, and wine; bring to a boil. Add mussels; cover and cook, stirring once, until mussels open, about 3 minutes. (Discard unopened shells.)
• Remove mussels with a slotted spoon. Transfer to a bowl; cover. Strain cooking liquid; discard solids. Return liquid to pot; bring to a boil. Add cream; reduce to a simmer; cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Divide mussels among 4 bowls. Add sauce; serve.

CREAMY SPICED MUSSELS

Steps:

• Scrub the mussels in a large bowl of cold water and discard any that are open. Put in a large pan with the wine. Bring to the boil, cover and shake the pan over a high heat until the mussels are open, about 3-4 mins.
• Tip the mussels into a colander set over a large bowl to catch the juices. Discard any that have not opened. Strain the cooking liquid through a sieve into a jug. Keep the mussels warm.
• Fry the shallots in the butter in the large pan until they are softened, but not browned. Stir in the flour and curry paste, and cook for 1 min. Add the cooking liquid (discarding the last little bit, which may be gritty) and season with pepper. Don't add salt, as the mussel juices will be salty enough.
• Stir the crème fraîche into the sauce, warming it through over a low heat until thickened and glossy. Divide the mussels between four bowls and pour over the sauce. Scatter with parsley and serve with chips or bread to mop up the juices.

SPICY STEAMED MUSSELS

Steps:

• Pick through the washed mussels making sure that they are all tightly closed and all of the beards have been removed.
• Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions, garlic, and ginger and saute until translucent but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add the chiles, curry powder, and coriander and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the wine and the water and bring to a boil.
• Once the mixture is boiling, add the mussels and cover. Steam the mussels for about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they have all opened.
• Remove the mussels from the heat and discard any that are not open. Place the mussels in a large serving platter, cover to keep warm. Return the pan to the heat, add the cream, season with pepper, to taste, and bring to a simmer. Add the cilantro, scallions, lime zest and juice. Pour the liquid over the top of the mussels.
• Preheat a grill pan to medium-high heat. Drizzle the bread with olive oil and grill 1 minute per side. Serve with the steamed mussels.

MUSSELS IN SPICY RED SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper, and saute until fragrant, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add the white wine and tomato sauce, increase the heat to high, cover and bring to a boil.
• Add the mussels and replace the lid. Cook over high heat 3 minutes. Remove the lid and stir once gently. Continue to cook until the mussels are completely open and firmly cooked, about 4 minutes more.
• Remove the pot from the heat and transfer the mussels gently from the pot to a large bowl with a Chinese wire mesh skimmer. Return the pot to the heat and increase the heat to high. Boil for a minute or 2, until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Pour the sauce over the mussels and serve immediately.
• Place the canned tomatoes in a large bowl and place your (clean) hands in the bowl and crush the tomatoes so they breakup into a range of small pieces.
• In a 5-quart Dutch oven heat the olive oil over medium heat until it is fragrant, but before it smokes, about 40 seconds. Add the bay leaves and stir them in the oil until they begin to brown, about 10 seconds. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until it starts to turn golden brown, then add the onions, carrots, and oregano. Cook the vegetables until they are very brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally, just enough to prevent them from scorching.
• Add the crushed tomatoes with their juice, the tomato paste, salt and pepper, and 1 1/2 cups of water, (white wine or clam juice can be added depending on the intended use) and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer, partially covered until the sauce level has reduced by 2 or 3 inches and the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Cook the sauce for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick.
• Remove from heat, cool down in the pot, then when at room temperature, transfer to a sealed plastic container and refrigerate until ready to use.
• This sauce will keep 10 days in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator.
• Using my recipe for basic Red Sauce, you can make a quick and spicy "fra diavolo" sauce that is delicious drizzled over grilled squid and other seafood. For equipment you will need a 3-quart saucepan and a wooden spoon.
• Heat the olive oil in a 3-quart saucepan slightly over medium heat and saute the garlic and crushed red pepper until the garlic is fragrant and beginning to brown, about 40 seconds.
• Add the Red Sauce, clam juice, and salt, to taste, and simmer, stirring occasionally over medium-low heat, until the sauce returns to the thickness and quantity of the Red Sauce, about 15 minutes.

MUSSELS WITH SAFFRON CREAM

Steps:

• Cut onion halves crosswise into less than 1/16-inch-thick slices with slicer.
• Cook onion with saffron and 1/2 teaspoon salt in oil in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add wine and bring to a boil, then stir in cream, pepper, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and mussels. Cook, covered, checking after 6 minutes and transferring opened mussels to soup bowls with a slotted spoon. (Discard any that remain unopened after 8 minutes.)
• Stir parsley into broth and pour over mussels.

CREAMY MUSSELS

Steps:

• Place mussels and fish stock in large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven; cover. Cook on high heat 7 min. or until mussel shells open. Discard any unopened shells. Strain mussels, reserving the liquid in small bowl. Place mussels in separate bowl. Cover mussels and reserved liquid to keep warm; set aside.
• Melt butter in same saucepan on medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook 5 min., stirring constantly. Add flour; stir with wire whisk until well blended. Gradually add reserved mussel liquid, stirring until well blended after each addition. Reduce heat to medium-low.
• Add sour cream and lemon juice; mix well. Add mussels; cook until heated through, stirring occasionally. (Do not boil.) Sprinkle with parsley just before serving.

MUSSELS WITH SPICY ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Place the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the shallots and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the shallots are translucent but still have a bit of crunch, about 3 minutes.
• Add the sausage to the pan and cook, stirring to crumble it, for 5 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked. Add the wine and rosemary and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium, add the mussels, cover the pan, and steam until the mussels open, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle the parsley and bread crumbs over all. Divide the mussels among six bowls and ladle the broth and sausage over them. Serve with crusty bread.