Mussels in Spicy Tomato Sauce

from ButterYum

makes 5 servings served as a main entree (or 10 servings if served over pasta)

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

• • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 cup finely minced onion

  • 4 ounces pancetta, diced (1/4-inch pieces)

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste

  • 3/4 cup white wine (see notes for substitution)

  • 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes (suggested brands listed above)

  • 1 whole sprig fresh basil

For the Mussels:

• • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

  • 1/2 cup finely minced onion

  • 2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

  • 1 1/2 cups white wine (see notes below for substitution)

  • 5 pounds mussels, cleaned and de-bearded

  • chopped parsley for garnish

  • pasta or crusty bread for serving

Directions

To make the sauce:

• • In a 3 or 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, saute the olive oil, onions, pancetta, garlic, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper together for several minutes until the onions soften and become translucent in color.

  • Add the tomato paste and saute for another minute or two before adding the white wine, crushed tomatoes, and sprig of basil; simmer on low for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To prepare the mussels:

• • (see notes below for instructions on how to clean mussels) In a 5.5-quart dutch oven or larger, heat the olive oil, finely minced onions, and crushed red pepper flakes over medium-high heat for several minutes until the onions are translucent; add the sliced garlic and saute for 1 minute.

  • Immediately stir in the white wine and bring to a boil; reduce liquid by half.

  • Stir the full tomato sauce recipe into the reduced oil/wine mixture; stir to combine.

  • Stir in the cleaned mussels, being sure to coat well with the sauce (it’s okay if some mussels are submerged under the sauce).

  • Cover the Dutch oven and allow mussels to cook for 4-5 minutes or until all the shells open, stirring to be sure all the shells are open (discard any mussels that fail to open after cooking).

  • Sprinkle liberally with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately over pasta or with lots of crust bread. See notes below to how to store and reheat leftovers.

Notes

• • If you don’t have white wine, you can substitute 2 parts low or no-sodium chicken stock and 1 part white wine vinegar.

  • Store fresh mussels in an open container (or in their mesh bag placed on a tray), draped with a damp towel for 2-3 days. The mussels need to breathe so be sure to remove any plastic wrapping right away. They’ll also release water as they sit so be sure to pour that off as it accumulates.

  • To clean mussels, soak in cool water for 15 minutes, agitating them every few minutes, then scrub well with a brush or sponge and rinse. Do not allow mussels to soak for more than 15 minutes. No need to add flour or cornmeal to the water. It’s completely unnecessary.

  • When washing fresh mussels, discard any that are cracked, broken, or do not close within a minute or so of tapping on its shell.

  • Pull off any stingy “beards” by grasping with your thumb and the edge of a sharp knife, or use a pair of clean tweezers. Don’t do this until right before you cook the mussels.

  • After cooking, discard any mussels that have not opened.

  • To store leftovers, separate the mussels from the sauce and store each in its own airtight container.

  • To reheat leftovers, heat the sauce alone, then stir in the mussels to gently heat through. If you have a large amount of sauce, you can stir the mussels with their shells into the hot sauce. If you don’t have a lot of sauce, remove the mussels from their shells before stirring them into the hot sauce.

  • Plan on purchasing 1 pound of mussels per person if serving alone as a main entree. Plan on 1/2 pound per person if serving over pasta.

  • I developed this recipe using 5 pounds of fresh mussels (in their shells), but you can use anywhere from 3-6 pounds of fresh mussels without having to reduce the amount of sauce in the recipe. Note - if cooking 6 pounds of mussels, use a 7-quart dutch oven (5 pounds or less can be made in a 5.5-quart dutch oven).

  • Leftover sauce can be frozen for use later, or use it as a braise for your favorite mild white fish (cod, grouper, haddock, etc). I suggest serving the fish and sauce over rice.