Mussels Picante Recipes

MUSSELS PICANTE

Steps:

• Combine salsa and wine in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Add mussels. Cover and cook until mussels open, about 5 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately, with toasted bread on the side.

LOUISIANA MUSSEL "SAUCE PIQUANTE" WITH GARLIC BREAD

Steps:

• Scrub mussels well and remove beards. Finely chop onion, celery, and bell pepper. In a 6- to 8-quart heavy kettle melt butter over moderately low heat and stir in flour. Cook roux, stirring constantly, until color of peanut butter, about 6 minutes. Stir in vegetables and cook, covered, until soft. Stir in tomato paste, broth, tomatoes with juice, and cayenne and bring mixture to a boil, breaking up tomatoes. Simmer sauce, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes, or until thickened.
• While sauce is simmering, make garlic bread:
• Preheat broiler.
• Mince garlic and mash to a paste with a pinch salt. In a small saucepan melt butter over moderate heat and stir in garlic paste. Halve bread horizontally and brush garlic butter on cut sides. On a baking sheet broil bread about 4 inches from heat until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir mussels into sauce and simmer, covered, 4 to 8 minutes, or until mussels are opened. (Discard any unopened mussels after 8 minutes.) Divide mussels between 2 bowls.
• Season sauce with salt and ladle over mussels. Serve bread on the side.

MEJILLONES CON SALSA PICANTE (MUSSELS IN SPICY SAUCE)

Steps:

• Peel and chop the onion and put it to soften in a pan with a little oil. Chop the green pepper and add it.
• Add a little salt and a little sugar (to the same extent), to remove the acidity.
• When they start to turn brown, chop the tomatoes and incorporate along with the two cayenne peppers.
• Cook over medium heat for 20-25 minutes.
• Blend with an electric mixer and set aside.
• Clean the mussels.
• Place in a pan, pour a glass of white wine, cover and cook until they open.
• Once opened, remove the mussels to a platter and keep warm.
• Strain the stock through a cheese cloth.
• Reserve the broth.
• Remove empty mussels and reserve the other mussels.
• Peel and rolled the garlic cloves and put them to fry in a pan with a little oil.
• Add a tablespoon of flour and cooking.
• Pour a glass of mussel broth and tomato sauce.
• Mix and incorporates the mussels.
• Cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes.
• Serve in bowls and garnish with a sprig of parsley.

SHRIMP AND PASTA PICANTE

Steps:

• In a large skillet heat your EVOO and add onions and garlic sauté till onions are clear. Add the fire roasted tomatoes, and spices. Let this simmer for 20 minutes (the whole red peppers again can be increased or decreased depending on your desire for heat.
• While your sauce is simmering make your pasta - I simply used a bunch of open pasta's not enough left over for a full meal but there - so used your imagination and see what you come up with. Cook till el dente.
• While the pasta is cooking add your whole shrimp to the tomato sauce and allow to cook till shrimp are nice and pink. Try not to over cook as the shrimp gets tough with over cooking.
• Just before serving add pasta to the shrimp and tomato sauce - for garnish use a little fresh chopped parsley and serve with fresh grated parmesan cheese.
• I had some leftover peas and charred onions in the fridge and threw them in at the last minute - you can if you like pretty much add any kind of vegetable or just leave it out all together.
• Charred Onions - in a heavy cast iron skillet add 2 cups onions sliced in large slices, the skillet should be screaming hot - once onions are added lower heat to medium high , flip the onions at the 3 minute mark and then repeat - you should come up with a nice charred looking onion not burnt - charred - we love to throw these into a can of peas ....this is what was added to the recipe at the very end.

MUSSELS WITH RICE PILAF

Steps:

• If mussels are not clean, scrub them with brush and rinse in several changes of water. Debeard. Discard any mussels that are open if the shells will not close.
• Cook mussels in the wine in a non-aluminum pot for about 5 minutes, until they open. Discard any mussels that do not open. Strain mussel broth. Set aside mussels and keep warm.
• Whisk the tomato paste into the mussel broth and add enough water to make 3 cups of liquid.
• Meanwhile, saute onions in hot olive oil until onions are soft, in a pan large enough to hold all of the ingredients.
• Add the rice and reserved liquid and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until rice is tender. About 5 minutes before the rice is finished, add the pine nuts and currants.
• About one minute before the rice is finished, arrange mussels on top of rice. Sprinkle on parsley.
• To serve, arrange mussels on top of rice.