There’s something so celebratory about a steaming pot of mussels, right? To me, mussels are something you eat at a dinner party or a great French restaurant, even though they’re honestly one of the easiest and most rustic dishes a person could possibly prepare. I think it’s the magic of them that makes them special- opening the lid and seeing all the shells open and looking up at you, rolling up your sleeves and getting down to business, slurping the juices out of the shells and generally relying on all of your baser instincts, surrounded by a bunch of people doing the same.
I love a classic mussel preparation as much as the next person- white wine, garlic, parsley. Served with some crusty garlic bread for maximum mopping. But there are also unlimited OTHER ways to prepare mussels, which is obvious on the menu of one of my favorite spots to eat in New York, Flex Mussels. Besides bearing an utterly fantastic name, the restaurant has a genius menu of (mostly) mussel preparations from around the world, from Italy, to Thailand, to India. It’s such a fun way to spend an evening, and very difficult to keep your greedy little hands out of your dining companions’ mussel pots.
Despite loving mussels and understanding in theory that they’re super easy to prepare, I’d always shied away from making them at home. It always seemed too fancy and a little indulgent to make at home for two! But, on further thought, who am I kidding? I routinely prepare far more elaborate meals for no reason at all (roasted poussins anyone??) and we two ladies can easily put away a pound of mussels each without blinking.
I’ve made this recipe a few times now and it’s fantastic. It’s a Spanish take on a pot of mussels, using cava and a romesco sauce that’s stirred in just before steaming. The romesco has a deep flavor that’s hard to put your finger on – roasted carrot, bell pepper, tomato and nuts – and adds a sweet touch with a zing of sherry vinegar and a smoky note from smoked paprika. The romesco recipe also makes more than you’ll need for the mussels, so you can serve a bowl of it on the table to spread on the grilled toasts which are essential to accompany this dish.
So if you’re intimidated by mussels, don’t be! They’re fun, they’re healthy and they’re always a crowd pleaser. Serve this meal with the rest of the bottle of cava that didn’t go in the pot, and follow up with some Spanish albariño, and I think you’ve got yourself the perfect summer dinner.
Note: Romesco can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for two days.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large carrot, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 orange bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 scallions- white and light green parts sliced, dark green parts reserved
- 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped salted, roasted almonds
- 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
- 1/8 teaspoon pimentón de la Vera
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 lbs. mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 1/4 cup dry Cava
- 1/2 cup bottled clam juice
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- Toasted country bread brushed with olive oil, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the carrot and bell pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in the sliced scallions and tomatoes. Roast the vegetables in the oven until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Scrape the vegetables into a food processor. Add the almonds, vinegar and pimentón and puree until smooth. Season the romesco with salt.
- In an enameled cast-iron casserole, melt the butter. Thinly slice the reserved scallion greens and add to the casserole. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 1 minute. Add the mussels, Cava, clam juice, cream and 1/2 cup of the carrot romesco and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook until the mussels open, about 3 minutes. Discard any that don’t open. Season with salt and stir in the parsley. Serve the mussels with the toasts and the remaining romesco.
Notes
https://www.thekitchenchronicles.com/2017/07/24/mussels-with-cava-and-roasted-carrot-romesco/
