Baked Stuffed Mussels With Focaccia And Lemon Olive Garden Food

STUFFED BAKED MUSSELS

Steps:

• Debeard and clean the exterior of the mussel shells very well (they will be used later for service).
• In a cast-iron Dutch oven over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the garlic, red pepper flakes, white wine and thyme. Bring the wine to a simmer and add the mussels. Cover tightly and cook until all the mussels have opened, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Remove the mussels from the pot, discarding any that did not open, and when cool enough to handle, remove the flesh and chop. Rinse the shells and put aside for service. Strain the liquid from the pot and reserve. Wipe the Dutch oven clean with a paper towel.
• Place the pot over medium-high heat, add the remaining olive oil and, when shimmering, add the onions and bell peppers and saute until the onions are just starting to caramelize, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the serrano, the remaining garlic and the tomatoes and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the butter and the flour. Once the butter melts, slowly incorporate the milk. Add the reserved cooking liquid from the mussels, a little at a time, until the mixture is creamy but not runny. Add the chopped mussels and gradually add 1 cup panko, as needed, and stir gently to combine.
• Preheat the oven to broil and adjust the rack to 6 inches below the element.
• Separate, rinse and dry the mussel shells.
• Spread the rock salt evenly in an ovenproof serving platter. Fill the mussel shells with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the mussel-vegetable mixture. Place the remaining cup of panko in a shallow bowl or plate and spread out. Gently roll the filled shells in the panko. Nest the filled mussels into the rock salt on the prepared platter. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper, place under the broiler and broil until golden brown and bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning.
• Sprinkle with the chopped Italian parsley, squeeze a few lemon wedges over the mussels and garnish with remaining lemon wedges and serve immediately.

BAKED STUFFED MUSSELS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.
• Bring water with mussels to a boil in a wide 5-quart heavy pot, covered, then boil, covered, shaking pot occasionally, until mussels just open wide, 3 to 4 minutes. (Discard any unopened mussels.) Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon, reserving cooking liquid, and cool to room temperature.
• Put 48 half mussel shells with mussels attached in a large shallow baking pan (discard other halves) and drizzle with some of reserved cooking liquid.
• Stir together remaining ingredients, then top each mussel with about 1 teaspoon of mixture.
• Bake until crumbs are golden and crisp, about 5 minutes.

OLIVE GARDEN MUSSELS DI NAPOLI

Steps:

• In a non-stick pan gently cooking the garlic together with the olive oil until the garlic gets soft and turns translucent.
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan combine mussels (which have been cleaned, debearded and picked over, if necessary), wine and butter. Add garlic and any remaining olive oil.
• Cover the pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Mussels are cooked when all shells are open. Discard any that do not open.
• Add all remaining ingredients, stir carefully (mussels will easily dislodge from their shells) and simmer gently on low for approximately two minutes.
• Serve in bowls with plenty of bread to soak up the delicious juices!

BAKED STUFFED ARTICHOKES WITH FOCACCIA (THE OLIVE GARDEN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• ARTICHOKE STUFFING.
• USE scissors to snip off sharp points of each artichoke leaf.
• COMBINE lemon halves, chopped onion, water, wine, bay leaf and peppercorns in a stock pot. Bring to a boil; add artichokes.
• SIMMER until artichokes are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Remove pot from heat and allow artichokes to cool in stock.
• STUFFING:.
• MELT butter in a medium saucepan. Add remaining onions and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and let cool.
• CUT cooled artichokes in half, lengthwise, exposing inner leaves.
• SCOOP out center prickly leaves with a teaspoon, leaving the choke (heart) intact. Place stuffing in the hollowed-out artichoke.
• TOP with cheeses and bake at 350ºF until center is hot (about 20 minutes).