Mussels With Ravigote Sauce Recipes

MUSSELS ON THE HALF SHELL WITH RAVIGOTE SAUCE

Steps:

• Cook mussels in wine, covered, in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until mussels just open wide, checking frequently after 4 minutes and transferring open mussels to a shallow baking pan using a slotted spoon. (Discard any mussels that remain unopened after 8 minutes.) When cool enough to handle, detach meat and discard 1 half shell from each mussel. Reserve meat and remaining shells.
• Peel and halve egg, then force it through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl using back of a spoon. Whisk in oil, vinegar, onion, capers, mustard, parsley, chervil, chives, salt, and pepper until sauce is combined well. Add mussels, stirring to coat, then chill mussels in sauce, covered, at least 1 hour.
• Arrange half shells on a large platter and spoon a mussel with some sauce into each shell.

MUSSELS VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Bring one inch of water to a boil in a large pot. Add mussels, cover, and steam for 3 to 5 minutes, until they are all open. Drain. Remove one side of each shell, and arrange the open shelled mussels on a serving platter. Discard any mussels that do not open.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the red, yellow, and green bell peppers, olive oil, wine vinegar, parsley, egg, salt, and pepper. Spoon over the mussels on the shells. Refrigerate until serving.

PASTA WITH MUSSELS IN TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Pulse tomatoes with juices in food processor just a few times to break down into a coarse purée; set aside. Bring large pot of water to boil for pasta.
• Meanwhile, in a wide skillet or saucepan with lid, combine crushed garlic clove and shallot with white wine. Bring to a boil and add mussels. Cover and cook, shaking pan from time to time, 2 to 4 minutes, or until mussels open up. Check mussels after 2 minutes; transfer open mussels to a bowl using tongs. Cover pan again, wait another minute, and repeat until all mussels have opened.
• Leave mussels to cool in bowl until easily removed from shells. Remove half from shells and leave other half intact. Taste a mussel; if it is sandy, give them all a very quick rinse and drain in a colander. Transfer to a bowl and keep covered while you make tomato sauce.
• Place a strainer over another bowl, line with cheesecloth and strain the liquid in the pan into bowl. Reserve 1/2 cup. Rinse and dry pan.
• Heat olive oil over medium heat in pan and add minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, just until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add tomatoes, thyme or marjoram (or both), and sugar.
• Turn heat up to medium-high and cook, stirring often, 5 to 10 minutes, until tomatoes have cooked down slightly. Add 1/2 cup broth from mussels, stir together and bring to a simmer. Taste and add salt as needed (you may not need to add any). Tip all mussels, shelled and unshelled, into sauce, cover and turn heat to very low or remove from heat if not serving right away. Keep warm while you cook pasta.
• Warm a large bowl for the pasta. When water for pasta comes to a rolling boil, salt generously and add pasta. Cook al dente, following the directions on the package. Drain and toss in the warm bowl with tomato sauce, mussels and parsley. Serve right away.