Mussels Picante Food

LOUISIANA MUSSEL "SAUCE PIQUANTE" WITH GARLIC BREAD

Steps:

• Scrub mussels well and remove beards. Finely chop onion, celery, and bell pepper. In a 6- to 8-quart heavy kettle melt butter over moderately low heat and stir in flour. Cook roux, stirring constantly, until color of peanut butter, about 6 minutes. Stir in vegetables and cook, covered, until soft. Stir in tomato paste, broth, tomatoes with juice, and cayenne and bring mixture to a boil, breaking up tomatoes. Simmer sauce, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes, or until thickened.
• While sauce is simmering, make garlic bread:
• Preheat broiler.
• Mince garlic and mash to a paste with a pinch salt. In a small saucepan melt butter over moderate heat and stir in garlic paste. Halve bread horizontally and brush garlic butter on cut sides. On a baking sheet broil bread about 4 inches from heat until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir mussels into sauce and simmer, covered, 4 to 8 minutes, or until mussels are opened. (Discard any unopened mussels after 8 minutes.) Divide mussels between 2 bowls.
• Season sauce with salt and ladle over mussels. Serve bread on the side.

MUSSELS PICANTE

Steps:

• Combine salsa and wine in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Add mussels. Cover and cook until mussels open, about 5 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately, with toasted bread on the side.

STUFFED MUSSELS IN SPICY TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Beard and clean mussels.
• Open mussels over bowl to collect liquid. Set aside.
• Cut stale bread up into cubes, place in bowl and moisten with broth. Let stand till bread has softened.
• Squeeze bread well of all liquid. Mix all the stuffing ingredients well in a bowl.
• Stuff mussels placing a heaping tablespoon of the stuffing on an open shell, press the two shells shut and wipe off the stuffing that squishes out.
• Make the tomato sauce: Sauté garlic, chili pepper and parsley in the oil over medium heat (do not let garlic brown). Add the crushed peeled tomatoes, stir and then add the mussel juice you've kept aside. Let sauce simmer for about 15 minutes.
• Gently place mussels into pan, cover and let mussels stew for about half an hour or until stuffing has cooked through.
• Serve and garnish with a sprinkling of parsley.

MUSSELS WITH SPICY TOMATO-CHILI SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes. Mix in tomato paste, black bean sauce and jalapeños, then tomatoes and fish stock. Bring to boil. Add mussels. Cover and cook until mussels open, about 6 minutes (discard any mussels that do not open). Ladle mussels and tomato mixture into bowls and serve.