Mussels In Half Shells With Cilantro And Tomato Food

MUSSELS ON THE HALF SHELL

Steps:

• Thaw the mussels.
• Drain them well, squeezing out extra liquid from the mussels.
• Put them on a cookie sheet.
• In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, butter, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
• Squeeze the lemon over the mussels.
• Put the bread crumb mixture equally on the mussels and press down a little.
• Broil for 5 to 6 minutes until the bread crumb mixture is crunchy and brown and the mussles are cooked.
• Serve and enjoy!

MUSSELS IN LIGHT BROTH

Steps:

• In a 4-quart pot over medium heat, add the oil. Add the ginger, garlic, cumin, black peppercorns, asafoetida, and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cilantro and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 2 cups of water and cook for 8 minutes on a low heat. Add the mussels, cover and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the mussels are opened. Remove from the heat. Transfer the mussels and broth to a serving bowl and finish with the tempered oil.
• To make the Tempered Oil:
• In a small pan over medium heat, add oil. Add the curry leaves and mustard seeds; when the mustard seeds begin to pop, remove the oil from the flame, about 30 seconds. Drizzle the oil over the mussels and broth.

MUSSELS WITH TOMATOES & CHILLI

Steps:

• Put the tomatoes in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water, leave for 3 mins, then drain and peel. Quarter the tomatoes and scoop out and discard the seeds using a teaspoon. Roughly chop the tomato flesh.
• Heat the oil in a large pan with a tight- fitting lid. Add the garlic, shallot and chilli, then gently fry for 2-3 mins until softened. Pour in the wine and add the tomatoes, paste, sugar and seasoning (mussels are naturally salty so take care with the salt). Stir well and simmer for 2 mins.
• Tip in the mussels and give them a stir. Cover tightly and steam for 3-4 mins, shaking the pan halfway through, until the shells have opened.
• Discard any shells that remain shut, then divide the mussels between two bowls and add the basil leaves. Provide a large bowl for the empty shells.

MUSSELS IN HALF SHELLS WITH CILANTRO AND TOMATO

Steps:

• Scrub mussels, removing any beards that may still be attached.
• Steam until they just open; discard any that remain closed.
• Pull each mussel open, being careful not to tear the shell apart.
• Onto each mussel put a teaspoon of tomato seasoned with salt and pepper to taste.
• Sprinkle with bell pepper and cilantro.
• Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and heated butter and white wine.
• Serve hot.

STEAMED MUSSELS WITH CORN AND TOMATOES - CHORROS A LA CHALACA

Steps:

• Remove as much of the corn silk as possible. Trim off the stalk ends from the cob. Stand the ears up on a cutting board and, using a short sharp knife, shave off the kernels. Get as much of the kernels as possible without cutting into the cob and be careful, the kernels have a tendency to fly all over the kitchen.
• Put the corn kernels, mussels, and 1/2 cup water in a wide deep skillet or Dutch oven. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Steam, shaking the pan occasionally, just until the mussels open up, 3 to 5 minutes.
• While the mussels are steaming, toss the tomato, red onion, yellow pepper, cilantro, olive oil, garlic, chile, and lime juice together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• When the mussels are open, scoop them out with a skimmer and put them in a serving bowl large enough to hold them comfortably. Add the tomato mixture to the mussel steaming liquid, give it a quick stir and pour everything in the pan over the mussels. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

STEAMED MUSSELS WITH LIME & CILANTRO

Steps:

• Rinse the mussels in a colander under cold water, scrub the shells throughly, remove the tough, wiry beards and discard any mussels with broken or gaping shells.
• While the mussels drain, heat the oil in a large stock pot over medium high heat. Add carrot and jalapeno; saute, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and lightly brown, about 2 minutes.
• Add the garlic and 1/2 tsp of the lime zest and saute until fragrant, 30 seconds. Pour in the wine and raise the heat to high.
• As soon as the wine boils, add the mussels and cover the pot. Steam the mussels, shaking the pot once or twice, until the shells open, 5 - 6 minutes.
• Remove the pot from the heat. With a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels to a large bowl and keep warm.
• Return the pot with the cooking liquid to the heat add the cream, boil until the sauce reduces just a bit, 2 - 3 minutes.
• Add 1-1/2 T of the lime juice, the cilantro and chili sauce, if using.
• Taste and add more lime juice and salt if needed.
• Ladle the mussels into wide, shallow bowls, pour some of the sauce over each portion and serve immediately.

MUSSELS WITH TOMATO AND BASIL

Steps:

• Clean the mussels and put them in a large saucepan on high heat. Sprinkle in the white wine, cover and cook until the mussels open. Remove from heat as soon as they have opened, strain off the liquor and keep it.
• Debeard the mussels and discard one-half of each shell. Set the mussels in half-shells on a serving dish.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Soften the shallots in the olive oil over moderate heat and add about one cup of the mussel cooking liquor.
• Reduce the mussel liquor until it has almost disappeared, then add the tomatoes, heat through and add the garlic. Warm through again to drive off some but not all of the volatility of the garlic, then add the basil, freshly snipped. Add the parsley and season the sauce with salt and pepper.
• Heat the mussels through in the oven; don't overdo it or they will toughen. Spoon the sauce into the mussel shells and serve.

CURRY-MARINATED MUSSELS ON THE HALF SHELL

Steps:

• In a large bowl stir together curry paste, curry powder, vinegar, and 4 tablespoons oil. Scrub mussels and remove beards. Mince shallots and cut carrot, celery, and bell pepper into 1/4-inch dice. In a 12-inch skillet heat remaining tablespoon oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and saut vegetables, stirring and adding salt to taste, until slightly softened but not browned. Add vegetables to curry mixture. In skillet steam mussels in 1/4 cup water, covered, over moderately high heat, 3 to 8 minutes, checking occasionally after 3 minutes and transferring them as they open to another bowl. Discard any unopened mussels.
• Remove mussels from shells and add to curry-vegetable mixture, gently tossing to coat. Wash and reserve half of each shell. Marinate mussels, covered and chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
• Just before serving, chop cilantro and stir into mussels. Fill each reserved shell with a mussel and some curried vegetables.

MUSSELS STEAMED IN COCONUT MILK, LIME AND CILANTRO

Steps:

• Put the onion, garlic, chili peppers, coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice and cilantro into a large saucepan. Bring to the boil and cook for about 8 minutes or until the onions are cooked.
• Check that all the mussels are tightly closed. If one is open, tap it - if it closes it's good, but if any stay open, throw those ones out.
• When the onions are cooked in the saucepan, throw in all the good mussels, put the lid on and cook until the mussels are widely open.
• Serve the mussels in their shells with the broth and some garlic bread.

COLD MUSSELS WITH TOMATO CORIANDER SAUCE

Steps:

• In a heavy stainless steel or enameled kettle steam the mussels in the wine covered over high heat shaking the kettle once or twice, for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the shells have opened. Discard any unopened shells. Transfer the mussels with a slotted spoon to jelly-roll pans, reserving the mussel liquor, discard the top shells, and release the the mussels from the bottom shells, leaving them in the shells. Chill the mussels, covered loosely with dampened paper towels and wrapped in plastic wrap, for at least 2 hours or overnight. Strain the reserved mussel liquor through a fine sieve lined with a double thickness of rinsed and squeezed cheesecloth into a small bowl.
• In a large stainless steel or enameled skillet cook the onions in the oil over moderate, stirring, until they are softened, add the garlic, and cook the mixture, stirring, stirring until the garlic is softened. Add the cumin and cook the mixture over moderately low heat, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and 3/4 cup of the strained mussel liquor, bring the liquid to a boil, and simmer the mixture, stirring for 10 minutes, or until it is thickened slightly. Stir in the chili peppers, the scallion, and salt and pepper to taste, let the sauce cool, and stir in the minced coriander.
• Spoon the sauce over the mussels, arrange the mussels decoratively on platters, and garnish the platters with the coriander leaves if desired. (The mussels with the sauce may be prepared up to 1 day ahead and kept covered and chilled.)

MUSSELS WITH TOMATOES, JALAPEñO AND TEQUILA

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Mix in tomatoes, then next 5 ingredients. Add mussels. Cover and steam until mussels open, about 7 minutes (discard any mussels that do not open). Using slotted spoon, transfer mussels to large bowl. Simmer sauce uncovered until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over mussels and serve.