Tobys Mussel Chowder Food

SAN FRANCISCO-INSPIRED MUSSEL CHOWDER

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a large deep skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat until crispy, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, reserving the drippings in the skillet.
• Cook the scallions in the reserved bacon drippings over medium heat, stirring frequently, until softened. Place the minced garlic on your board and sprinkle with a generous pinch of kosher salt, then use the side of a chef's knife to scrape into a paste. Add the garlic, thyme and lemon peel strips and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the fish stock and potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of white pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are just tender, about 5 minutes.
• Increase the heat to medium-high, add the mussels, cover and cook until the mussels have opened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard any mussels that have not opened.
• Return the pan to the heat and simmer until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and lemon juice. Top the mussels with the cooked bacon and extra sliced scallions.
• Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush the baguette slices with a little olive oil, then add to the grill pan and cook until golden brown, 2 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and rub with the whole garlic clove. Served the mussels with the grilled bread.

LIGHTLY CURRIED MUSSEL CHOWDER

Steps:

• Clean and debeard the mussels. Stem them open. Strain the broth; you should have 4 cups of broth (and 1 pound of mussel meat). Cover the shelled mussels and keep refrigerated until ready to use.
• Heat a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot over low heat and add the diced salt pork. Once it has rendered a few tablespoons of fat, increase the heat to medium and cook until the salt pork is a crisp golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cracklings to a small ovenproof dish, leaving the fat in the pot, and reserve until later.
• Add the butter, ginger, garlic, bell pepper, onion, curry powder, and cayenne pepper to the pot and saute, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 10 minutes, until the pepper and onion are softened but not browned.
• Add the white potatoes and the reserved mussel broth, turn up the heat, and bring to a boil. Cover and cook the potatoes vigorously for 5 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes. The broth should just barely cover the potatoes; if it doesn't, add enough water to cover. Lower the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes longer, until the white and sweet potatoes are soft on the outside but still firm in the center. If the broth hasn't thickened lightly, smash a few potatoes and sweet potatoes against the side of the pot and cook a minute or two longer to release their starch.
• Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the mussels and cream. Mussels are not as salty as clams, but you will still need to exercise a light hand as you season the chowder with salt. Add black pepper to taste. If you are not serving the chowder within the hour, let it cool a bit, then refrigerate; cover the chowder after it has chilled completely. Otherwise, let it sit at room temperature for up to an hour, allowing the flavors to meld.
• When ready to serve, reheat the chowder over low heat; don't let it boil. Warm the cracklings in a low oven (200 degrees F) for a few minutes.
• Ladle the chowder into cups or bowls, making sure that the mussels, bell pepper, onion, and potatoes are evenly divided. Scatter the cracklings over the individual servings and sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and scallions.

TOBY'S MUSSEL CHOWDER

Steps:

• Place wine, butter, garlic, and 1 tablespoon basil in a stockpot and brings to a simmer. Add mussels and steam, covered, over high heat, for 8 to 12 minutes. Check to see when shells begin to open, be careful not to overcook. When mussels open, remove them from the heat, and drain, reserving liquid. Set mussels aside to cool, discarding any unopened mussels. When cool, remove meat from shells, chop coarsely, and refrigerate until needed.
• In a stockpot, over medium-high heat, saute bacon until fat is rendered and bacon begins to brown. Add onions, celery and cook until onions turn translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add potatoes and thyme and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add stock or clam juice, reserved mussel liquid, remaining 1 tablespoon basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes, or until potatoes are soft and begin to thicken chowder. Add milk, chopped mussels and bring back to simmer. Reheat for 2 to 3 minutes. Check for seasoning. Serve with garlic bread.

CREAMY MUSSEL CHOWDER

Steps:

• Boil 2 cups of water in a large pot, then add a third of the washed mussels, cover and heat until shells open 5mm, then lift promptly, with tongs, into a large bowl. Repeat until all mussels have opened.
• Save the liquid.
• Cut onion(s) in 1cm cubes.
• Heat the oil in a covered non-stick pan, then add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned.
• Chop the carrot, celery and potato into similar sized cubes and add them to the pan.
• Strain the mussel cooking liquid into the pan of vegetables and simmer until vegetables are tender.
• Take the mussels from shells, discarding beards.
• Cut the mussels in 1cm cubes, saving any liquid, and put aside.
• Melt the butter in the cleaned mussel pot, then stir in the flour. Add the milk and bring to the boil, stirring or whisking constantly, then add the stock and boil again, still stirring.
• Take off the heat.
• Add the cooked vegetables and their cooking liquid and season carefully to taste.
• Cool, then refrigerate up to 24 hours if necessary.
• When ready to serve, heat, stirring constantly, until very hot.
• Add two thirds of the mussels and any liquid, then pour into large bowls. Top with remaining mussels and chopped parsley or dill if desired and serve with hot rolls, garlic bread, crackers or toast.

A CHOWDER OF MUSSELS AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Thinly slice the leeks and rinse them very thoroughly. No vegetable holds its grit like a leek. Cut the bacon into short, thin strips and put them into a deep, thick-bottomed pan with the butter. Let the bacon color lightly over medium heat. Decrease the heat, add the leeks, and cover with a lid. Let them cook for twenty minutes or so, with an occasional stir, until they are soft and sweet-they should not color. Remove from the heat.
• Check the mussels and pull away any beards. Discard any mussels that are broken, open, or exceptionally heavy. Put them in a large pot, pour in the vermouth, and cover tightly with a lid. Place over high heat until the mussels have opened (a matter of minutes), then remove each mussel from its shell.
• Peel the potatoes and cut them into large dice. Put them in a saucepan with 1 3/4 cups (400ml) of the mussel cooking liquor, drained through a sieve. Add the cream, bay, thyme, and a little black pepper (no salt). Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat so that the potatoes simmer gently for about ten minutes.
• Add three-quarters of the cooked potatoes to the leeks and bacon. Put the remainder in a blender with the cream (pick out the herbs first) and blitz briefly until smooth (too long and it will turn gummy). Pour into the pan and add the mussels and parsley. Bring all to a boil and serve.

MUSSEL CHOWDER

Steps:

• Pour reserved mussel cooking liquid through a fine sieve lined with a dampened paper towel into a bowl. Set aside 24 mussels in their shells, then shuck remainder and halve them crosswise.
• Wash chopped leeks in a bowl of cold water, then lift out and drain well.
• Cook leeks, carrots, bell peppers, and shallot with salt and pepper in butter and oil in a 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook, uncovered, stirring, 1 minute. Add strained mussel cooking liquid and wine and simmer 10 minutes.
• Stir in halved mussels and cream and simmer, stirring, 5 minutes. Add reserved mussels in their shells and simmer until just heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

MUSSEL CHOWDER

Steps:

• Place 1 cup of wine, the water and the lemon juice in a large pot and bring to a boil. Lower heat, add the mussels, cover and steam, shaking the pot from time to time, until the mussels open, about 7 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Pull the mussels from the shells and refrigerate. Reserve the broth.
• Melt the butter in a large, wide pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and potatoes and cook for 4 minutes longer. Add the mussel broth and the remaining wine and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Turn the heat to low and stir in the milk and cream. With the liquid barely at a simmer, cook for 30 minutes. Stir in the saffron and cook for 5 minutes longer. Add the mussels, salt and pepper and cook just until the mussels are warmed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the basil. Serve immediately.