Oven Steamed Mussels With Hard Cider And Bacon Food

OVEN-STEAMED MUSSELS WITH GARLIC AND WHITE WINE

Steps:

• Set an oven rack in the lowest position and preheat the oven to 500°F.
• Set a large roasting pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Do not brown. Add the wine, thyme, and bay leaves and boil until slightly reduced, about 1 minute.
• Stir in the salt and mussels. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil (remember the edges of the pan will be hot) and transfer to the oven. Roast until the majority of the mussels have opened, about 15 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven, and place a dishtowel over the handle to remind yourself that it's hot. Discard any unopened mussels. Using a wooden spoon, push the mussels to the edges of the pan. Add the butter to the center and stir until melted. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves and stir in the parsley. Spoon the mussels and wine broth into bowls and serve with bread.
• Note: When a recipe calls for dry white wine, the best options are Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or unoaked Chardonnay. Select a bottle that is inexpensive but still good enough to drink.
• Note: Most markets sell farm-raised mussels, which are easy to clean - in fact, they are usually already scrubbed and debearded. However, it's still a good idea to clean them prior to cooking. Simply put them in a colander and run them under cold running water, using your hands or a scrubbing brush to remove any sand or debris. If beards (the little tuft of fibers the mussel uses to connect to rocks or pilings) are present, cut or scrape them off with a paring knife, or use your fingers to pull them sharply down toward the hinged point of the shells. The mussels should be tightly closed. If you see a mussel that is open, tap it gently against the counter; in a live mussel, this will trigger a reaction to close its shell. If the mussel doesn't slowly close, it has died and should be discarded. Discard any mussels with cracked shells as well.

STEAMED MUSSELS WITH CIDER, SPRING ONIONS & CREAM

Steps:

• Wash the mussels in a colander to remove any dirt and grit. Pick through them, removing any stringy 'beards' from the shells. If any of the mussels are slightly open, tap them on the work surface to see if they close (which means they are still alive) and discard any that remain open.
• Melt the butter in a large heavy-based saucepan. Sauté the spring onions and garlic over a high heat for 1 min before pouring in the cider or perry. Add the thyme and the mussels, cover and cook for 3-4 mins or until the mussels start to open. Add the cream, season and stir in the parsley.
• Divide the mussels between bowls. Pour over the sauce and any spring onions left in the pan. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the juices/.

STEAMED MUSSELS WITH LEEKS, THYME & BACON

Steps:

• Scrub and de-beard the mussels. Heat half the butter in a pan, then sizzle the bacon for 3-4 mins until starting to brown. Add the leeks and thyme, then sweat everything together for 4-5 mins until soft. Turn the heat up high, add the mussels and cider or wine, then cover and cook for 4-5 mins, shaking the pan occasionally, until the mussels have opened. Discard any that don't open. Scoop the mussels and the other bits into a dish, then place the pan back on the heat. Boil the juices for 1 min with the rest of the butter, then pour over the mussels and serve with crusty bread.

OVEN-STEAMED MUSSELS WITH HARD CIDER AND BACON

Steps:

• 1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Heat oil and bacon in large roasting pan over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon has rendered and is starting to crisp, about 5 minutes. Add cider, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves and bring to boil. Cook until cider is slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Add mussels and salt. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil and transfer to oven. Cook until most mussels have opened (a few may remain closed), 15 to 18 minutes.
• 2. Remove pan from oven. Push mussels to sides of pan. Add cream to center and whisk until incorporated. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves, sprinkle parsley over mussels, and toss to combine. Serve immediately.