Steamed mussels in a garlic tomato wine sauce

"Something Smells Fishy"

This was a recipe I made a while back for my insta stories and decided I would remake it for the blog. If it were up to me my seafood month would have nothing more than fish and shrimp recipes. But because I know there is so much more under the sea, I try my best to produce recipes that contain all types of distinct species. So, to kick off March, we start with some mussels.

Sometimes I wonder why I insist on cooking this mollusk that I am so terrified of eating?  I just think mussels, clams and oysters are so scary. How do I know what’s inside is ok to eat? I should have called the recipe “Steamed mussels in garlic tomato wine sauce with a side of pearl”  because that’s exactly what I found in one of the mussels while eating it. The funny thing is, it actually taste pretty darn good. But my mind just can get over how disgusting it looks inside.

Interestingly enough, as rich and developed as this sauce is, I think fish or shrimp would get lost in it. Their flavors are so subtle. The kick you get from the tomatoes and the wine and all the garlic work with the fishy taste you get from the mussels. They would totally overpower a fish. Mussels taste like the sea, have you ever taken a sip of seawater by accident? For me mussels have that sea water taste. Not sure if that’s good or bad. However, considering I’m afraid to eat it, yet I still eat it. Some one who really loves mussels will adore this recipe. All it needed was some garlic bread or pasta.

Ingredients (printable recipe)

1 lb frozen or fresh mussels on the half shell

4 tablespoon butter

1 cup finely chopped Onion

10 cloves Garlic shredded

½ cup chopped fresh Tomato

1 teaspoon Tomato paste

½ lime (juice)

1 teaspoon sugar (optional if a sweet white wine is used)

3 cups sweet white/ pink Moscato etc.

Salt to taste

Black pepper

Parsley finely chopped

Instructions

• Make sure the mussels are defrosted and the shells are clean
• Pat dry to remove excess moisture
• In a pan melt butter and on a medium low heat saute tomatoes, onion and 6 of the 10 shredded
• garlic cloves
• season with two pinches of salt, allow it to saute until the onion become translucent and the tomatoes are breaking down
• add 1 cup of wine and the lime juice, cook and allow it to reduce
• once reduced add another cup of wine, continually stirring allow it to reduce again
• add the final cup of wine allow it to reduce and become a rich slightly thick sauce,
• once it is at this stage, season with salt and sugar to taste, stir in the remaining shredded garlic
• add the mussels and parsley
• stir to coat in the sauce cover and allow it to steam for 4 to 5 minutes or until the mussels have heated through.
• Remove from the heat and serve immediately with crusty bread or over a bed of pasta.

Xoxo Greedygirl