Serves four - as a main dish
4 lbs mussels well scrubbed
1 stick of butter
2-3 shallots chopped
1 yellow onion chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped
Bouquet Garni of fresh thyme, Italian parsley, cilantro, celery leaves and 1 dried bay leaf
1 large can of crushed tomatoes with basil
Sun dried tomatoes added to taste
White Wine (1/2 bottle more or less)
Fresh basil, Italian Parsley or Cilantro lightly chopped as garnish
Melt the butter in a large wok or kettle and lightly sauté the shallots, garlic and onion.
Add the tomato mixture and wine and simmer for a few minutes, (or until a guest says, “What is that divine aroma?”)
Add the mussels to the broth cover and simmer until fully opened.
Garnish with the chopped basil and parsley mixture.
Serve immediately with Italian or French country bread thickly sliced, spread on one side with melted garlic butter and pan-fried.
PS: Dionne advised, if you are keeping your mussels in the refrigerator over night be sure to immerse them in water and sprinkle with oatmeal; they will devour the oat meal and grow fatter and juicer!
- Recipe courtesy of Nancy Ellison