Mussels With Spicy Italian Sausage Food

MUSSELS IN SPICY RED SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper, and saute until fragrant, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add the white wine and tomato sauce, increase the heat to high, cover and bring to a boil.
• Add the mussels and replace the lid. Cook over high heat 3 minutes. Remove the lid and stir once gently. Continue to cook until the mussels are completely open and firmly cooked, about 4 minutes more.
• Remove the pot from the heat and transfer the mussels gently from the pot to a large bowl with a Chinese wire mesh skimmer. Return the pot to the heat and increase the heat to high. Boil for a minute or 2, until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Pour the sauce over the mussels and serve immediately.
• Place the canned tomatoes in a large bowl and place your (clean) hands in the bowl and crush the tomatoes so they breakup into a range of small pieces.
• In a 5-quart Dutch oven heat the olive oil over medium heat until it is fragrant, but before it smokes, about 40 seconds. Add the bay leaves and stir them in the oil until they begin to brown, about 10 seconds. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until it starts to turn golden brown, then add the onions, carrots, and oregano. Cook the vegetables until they are very brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally, just enough to prevent them from scorching.
• Add the crushed tomatoes with their juice, the tomato paste, salt and pepper, and 1 1/2 cups of water, (white wine or clam juice can be added depending on the intended use) and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer, partially covered until the sauce level has reduced by 2 or 3 inches and the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Cook the sauce for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick.
• Remove from heat, cool down in the pot, then when at room temperature, transfer to a sealed plastic container and refrigerate until ready to use.
• This sauce will keep 10 days in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator.
• Using my recipe for basic Red Sauce, you can make a quick and spicy "fra diavolo" sauce that is delicious drizzled over grilled squid and other seafood. For equipment you will need a 3-quart saucepan and a wooden spoon.
• Heat the olive oil in a 3-quart saucepan slightly over medium heat and saute the garlic and crushed red pepper until the garlic is fragrant and beginning to brown, about 40 seconds.
• Add the Red Sauce, clam juice, and salt, to taste, and simmer, stirring occasionally over medium-low heat, until the sauce returns to the thickness and quantity of the Red Sauce, about 15 minutes.

MUSSELS ITALIANO

Steps:

• When you bring your mussels home from the market, discard any that are chipped, broken or otherwise damaged; discard any mussel that is open.
• If you are not using right away, cover with damp paper towels in a container that can be tightly closed and store in the refrigerator.
• Just before cooking, wash the mussels in several changes of cold water.
• Using a small knife or a dry towel, remove the beards by pulling out towards the hinged side of the mussel.
• To remove any remaining sand, soak mussels for about 30 minutes in cold water containing a handful of salt and a handful of flour.
• Take each mussel from the bowl and using a firm brush, remove any barnacles before placing into another bowl of clear water.
• Melt butter in a medium sized pot; saute onions til clear.
• Add garlic& stir for another minute.
• Add tomato, oregano, salt& pepper and cook until tomato is soft.
• Add wine& bring to a slow boil.
• Dry the mussels with a clean towel, place into pot, cover & steam for 4 minutes; remove the lid & stir the mussels.
• At this point, most of the mussels should be open; replace the lid and steam for another 2 - 4 minutes.
• Discard any that don't open.
• Divide into serving bowls& cover with broth.
• If you increase the serving size for this recipe, don't add too many mussels to the pot at once or stack them on top of each other as it will make it difficult for the mussels to open due to the weight.

MUSSELS MARINARA DI AMORE

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, warm oil and saute garlic until transparent.
• Add tomatoes, oregano, basil and red pepper flakes to skillet; reduce heat to low to simmer for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and reserve.
• Add wine and mussels to skillet; cover and increase heat to high for 3 to 5 minutes or until mussel shells are open.
• Pour over hot pasta, sprinkle with parsley and squeeze lemon wedge over all. Garnish with remaining lemon and serve.

ROASTED MUSSELS WITH SPICY PORK SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Tomato Sauce:
• To make the tomato-sausage base, put a saucepan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the onions and cook until translucent, stirring, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chorizo and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and wine, reduce the heat to a simmer, and simmer gently until slightly thickened and reduced, about 10 to 15 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Keep the tomato base warm while you cook the mussels.
• Mussels:
• Put the mussels in a large skillet or wok over high heat, add the stock or wine, and cover with a lid. Cook the mussels until they open, about 5 minutes. Remove the lid, and pour the tomato-sausage base over the mussels. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fully heated through. Divide the mussels among 4 shallow soup bowls and serve immediately, garnished with lemon wedges.

MUSSELS WITH SPICY ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Place the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the shallots and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the shallots are translucent but still have a bit of crunch, about 3 minutes.
• Add the sausage to the pan and cook, stirring to crumble it, for 5 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked. Add the wine and rosemary and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium, add the mussels, cover the pan, and steam until the mussels open, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle the parsley and bread crumbs over all. Divide the mussels among six bowls and ladle the broth and sausage over them. Serve with crusty bread.

SPICY MUSSELS WITH CHORIZO AND WINE A'LA MELISSA D' ARABIAN

Steps:

• In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, cook the onions in the butter over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chorizo to the onions and cook until the sausage loses its raw color, about 5 minutes. Add the harissa and red pepper flakes, and then turn up the heat to high.
• Once fragrant, deglaze the pan with the wine, allowing to bubble for a minute. Lower the heat to medium, add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add the prepped mussels and cover to steam until the mussels open, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cream and stir. Serve immediately with plenty of sliced French bread for dipping.
• Cook's Note: If harissa cannot be found, substitute 1 tablespoon of tomato paste plus 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper.

MUSSELS WITH SAUSAGE, COCONUT MILK AND LIME

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, sausage, lemongrass, ginger and garlic and sauté 5 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients except cilantro and mussels and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Mix in half of cilantro.
• Meanwhile, place mussels in large pot. Cover and cook over medium heat until mussels open and release their juices, about 5 minutes (discard any mussels that do not open).
• Divide mussels among shallow soup bowls. Stir any mussel liquid into coconut-milk mixture; ladle over mussels. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro.