Poached Mussels For Two Recipes

MUSSELS-O-MISO

Steps:

• Rinse and scrub the mussels under cool running water. Remove any "beards" by pulling the fiber down toward the hinge end. Discard the beards and any open mussels that do not close within 30 seconds after a hard tap. Set aside the mussels while you prepare the broth.
• Add the chicken broth, brown miso paste, fish sauce and dark brown sugar to a container with a lid. Stir with a fork, then close the lid and shake vigorously to combine.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the shishitos and cook until fragrant and just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the chicken broth mixture to combine. Pour in 1 bottle of beer and bring to a simmer. Add the mussels, cover and cook for 2 minutes, until most of the mussels have opened.
• Use a slotted spoon to remove the mussels and place in two serving bowls. Stir the harissa and juice from 2 limes into the broth. Pour the broth over the mussels and finish with the cilantro. Serve with the lime quarters and some crusty bread.

COLD POACHED MUSSELS WITH CREAMY MUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a medium high-sided saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic, and cook, stirring, until shallots are translucent and garlic is very fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Add the salt and pepper. Add mussels and wine. Cover saucepan, and cook until mussels open and are cooked through, about 8 minutes. Discard any mussels that have not opened.
• Remove mussels from saucepan. Transfer cooking liquid to a small bowl, and set aside to cool. When cool, transfer to refrigerator to chill.
• Remove mussels from shells, reserving shells for serving, if desired. Place mussels in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and transfer to refrigerator.
• Whisk together creme fraiche, mustard, and champagne vinegar. Stir cooking liquid, and add about 4 tablespoons reserved cooking liquid and shallots to the creme fraiche mixture to make a nice thin sauce with just enough body to cling to mussels. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and more mustard if desired. Stir in half the lemon zest and chervil.
• Gently toss cold mussels in mustard sauce. Spoon a mussel and a large puddle of sauce back into reserved mussel shells. Sprinkle mussels with remaining half of zest and chervil, and serve with any remaining sauce on the side.

MUSSELS IN WHITE WINE

Steps:

• To clean the mussels, put them in a large bowl with 2 quarts of water and the flour and soak for 30 minutes, or until the mussels disgorge any sand. Drain the mussels, then remove the "beard" from each with your fingers. If they're dirty, scrub the mussels with a brush under running water. Discard any mussels whose shells aren't tightly shut.
• In a large non-aluminum stockpot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 5 minutes; then add the garlic and cook for 3 more minutes, or until the shallots are translucent. Add the tomatoes, saffron, parsley, thyme, wine, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
• Add the mussels, stir well, then cover the pot, and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until all the mussels are opened (discard any that do not open). With the lid on, shake the pot once or twice to be sure the mussels don't burn on the bottom. Pour the mussels and the sauce into a large bowl and serve hot.

POACHED MUSSELS FOR TWO

Steps:

• Scrub mussels with a brush under cool running water, and remove beards. Discard any opened or cracked mussels. They are dead.
• Bring broth and red wine vinegar to a boil in a large pan with a lid. Add mussels and reduce heat. Simmer 8-10 minutes or until shells open, shaking the pan occasionally. Transfer mussels to a dish.
• Add the remaining ingredients, except butter, to the broth in the pan. Cook over high heat until the until the liquid is reduced by about half.
• Remove from heat. Whisk in butter until melted. Pour sauce over mussels.

MUSSELS WITH TOMATOES, HERBS AND GARLIC (MOULES PROVENçALE)

Steps:

• To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onions, celery, garlic, basil and bouquet garni, and cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until softened but not browned.
• Mix in the tomato paste and tomatoes, salt, pepper, and sugar, and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
• Put the mussels in a casserole dish with the wine, over high heat, and bring to a boil. Cook for a few minutes only, until the mussels have opened, stirring frequently to ensure they are evenly cooked.
• Pour off the cooking liquid, discard any mussels that have not opened, and return the opened mussels, in their shells, to the casserole dish.
• Pour the hot tomato sauce over the mussels and heat through. Sprinkle with chopped basil and serve at once.

SEARED CHILEAN SEA BASS WITH CITRUS POACHED MUSSELS, CHAYOTE SQUASH, AVOCADO CILANTRO SALAD, AND BLUE CRAB ESSENCE

Steps:

• Mussels: Toast orange peels in a large, dry skillet or saucepan (with a lid that fits) until fragrant. Add olive oil and then onions, and saute over high heat for 30 seconds. Add mussels and stir them around a little. Add wine and cover with the lid; cook until mussels have opened, approximately 3 minutes. Strain and reserve liquid. Remove mussels from shells, reserve mussels, and discard shells.
• Citrus Emulsion: Combine orange juice and reserved mussel liquid in a small saucepan. Reduce liquid over medium-high heat until it takes on the consistency of a syrup. While still hot, add butter, 1 piece at a time, stirring constantly. Keep warm.
• Blue Crab Essence: Carefully drop crabs into a pot of rapidly boiling water for 4 minutes. Prepare an ice water bath. Drain crabs and immediately plunge them into the ice bath to halt the cooking. Pull all of the meat out of the claws and set aside. Crack crabs in half, discard anything that looks funky, rinse them, and reserve the shells.
• Bring fish fumet (or water) to a simmer in a saucepan. Add crab shells and simmer for 45 minutes. Strain liquid through a fine chinois into another saucepan, discarding crab shells. To the liquid, add cream and butter. Keep warm.
• Avocado Salad: Toss all ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Bring to room temperature before serving.
• Chayote Squash: Heat butter in a skillet over high heat. Add squash and cilantro and saute until tender. Keep warm until ready to serve.
• Chilean Sea Bass: Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over high heat. When pan is very hot, add fish and sear on each side until fully cooked through in the middle. Cooking time will vary based on the thickness of your fillets, but it should not take more than a couple minutes on each side. You may have to sear the fish in 2 batches so as not to over-crowd the pan.
• While fish is cooking, reheat mussels in the Citrus Emulsion and reheat the crabmeat in butter.
• To serve, spoon the Citrus Emulsion onto the middle of the plate, in a circle and spoon chayote on top. Arrange fish on top of chayote, and top fish with the Avocado Salad. Garnish with 4 mussels tightly around the chayote. With an immersion blender, froth the Blue Crab Essence. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the essence around the plate, and place the crabmeat next to the froth.