Mussels With Tomato, Pastis And Wine
serves 2-4
Don't be fooled by how fancy they look -- mussels are the ultimate easy seafood. Clean them, sauté them, steam them up, and presto -- you'll have a dish everyone will "ooooh" over. With the addition of pastis, these have a decidedly Provençal flavor.
3 pounds medium black mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup minced shallots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup dry white wine
6 tablespoons pastis
prep: 15 minutes
total: 30 minutes
large pot with cover
scrub brush
colander
1. Put the mussels in a large pot of cold water. With your hands and a small scrub brush, remove the "beard" and any grime from the outside of the shells. Drain in a colander and set aside. Discard any mussels with open shells. (Try tapping on the open ones; if they close, they're okay.)
2. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When it's hot, add the shallots and cook 2-3 minutes, until they just begin to soften. Stir in the garlic, mussels and pastis. Boil 30 seconds.
3. Add the tomato sauce and wine. Stir, then cover the pot and turn the heat up to medium-high. Steam the mussels until they open. (Discard any mussels that haven't opened after 7-8 minutes.) Sprinkle with parsley and stir to coat the mussels with the sauce.
