Taste USA: mussels

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

mussels in a coconut broth

How to make mussels in a coconut broth recipe

Serves 4

Total cooking time 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
2 lime leaves, shredded
125 ml (4 fl oz) coconut milk
125 ml (4 fl oz) water
1 lemon grass stalk
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
1 tablespoon soft brown sugar
1 kg (2 lb) live mussels, scrubbed and debearded
handful of chopped fresh coriander, to serve

Method:
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the shallot and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chilli and lime leaves and cook for 1 minute more. Pour in the coconut milk and the measurement water, add the lemon grass, fish sauce and sugar and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the mussels, cover and cook for 3–5 minutes until the mussels are open, discarding any that remain closed. Scatter over the coriander to serve.

For spicy wok-roasted mussels, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large wok, add 1 tablespoon Thai green curry paste and cook for 1 minute. Add 1 kg (2 lb) live mussels, scrubbed and debearded, and cook for 1 minute.

Pour over 50 ml (2 fl oz) coconut milk, cover and cook for 2 minutes more until the mussels are open, discarding any that remain closed. Scatter over 1 chopped spring onion, a handful of chopped fresh coriander and 1 tablespoon lime juice to serve. Total cooking time 10 minutes.

mussels in a coconut broth

creamy, curried mussel soup

How to make creamy, curried mussel soup recipe

Serves 4

Total cooking time 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon peeled and finely grated fresh root ginger
2 large red chillies, deseeded and finely diced
1 teaspoon medium curry powder
1 large pinch of saffron threads
100 ml (3½ fl oz) dry white wine
400 ml (14 fl oz) hot vegetable stock
1 kg (2¼ lb) live mussels, scrubbed and debearded
200 ml (7 fl oz) double cream
6 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander
salt and pepper
crusty bread, to serve (optional)

Method:
Heat the butter in a large wok or frying pan, add the shallots, garlic, ginger, red chillies and curry powder and stir-fry over a high heat for 1 minute. Add the saffron, white wine and stock
and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for 1–2 minutes.

Add the mussels to the pan, discarding any that are cracked or don’t shut when tapped, and cover tightly. Increase the heat to high and cook for 2–3 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the mussels have opened. Discard any that remain closed. Remove the mussels with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Pour the cream into the stock mixture and bring back to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 5–6 minutes. Return the mussels to the pan, stir in the coriander and season to taste.

Ladle into soup bowls and serve with crusty bread, if liked.

For curried smoked mussel omelette, whisk together 4 eggs and 2 teaspoons hot curry powder in a bowl, then season with salt. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large frying pan and add the egg mixture, swirling to coat evenly.

Cook for 1–2 minutes and then add a drained 85 g (3 oz) can smoked mussels in olive oil down the centre. Fold the egg mixture over the mussels.

Flip to seal and cook for 1–2 minutes. Keep warm while you repeat the recipe, to make 2 omelettes in total. Divide each omelette in two and serve one half per person. Total cooking time 10 minutes.

creamy, curried mussel soup

Sunday, November 29, 2015

mussels with bacon

How to make mussels with bacon recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 8 minutes, Cooking time 30–35 minutes

Ingredients:
6 lean back bacon rashers, chopped
2 shallots, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
250 ml (8 fl oz) white wine
400 g (13 oz) can chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped thyme, plus extra sprigs to garnish
2 kg (4 lb) live mussels, scrubbed and debearded (discard any that don’t shut when tapped)
2–3 tablespoons half-fat crème fraîche (optional)
salt and pepper

Method:
Heat a very large, heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat, then add the bacon and dry-fry for 3–4 minutes or until beginning to colour. If the bacon is very lean, fry in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the shallots and garlic and fry for 2–3 minutes or until softened.

Stir in the white wine, tomatoes and thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

Add the mussels and stir to coat, then cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 4–5 minutes, or until the mussels have opened, stirring once. Discard any that remain closed.

Stir in the crème fraîche, if using, and serve in deep bowls garnished with thyme sprigs.

For traditional moules marinières, omit the bacon and cook the shallots and garlic in a knob of butter. Pour in the white wine, or replace with 250 ml (8 fl oz) dry cider, and then add the mussels. Cook as above. Stir in the crème fraîche and scatter with chopped parsley to serve.

mussels with bacon

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Clams with tomatoes

How to make Clams with tomatoes recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
1 kg (2 lb) live clams, cleaned
125 ml (4 fl oz) Manzanilla sherry
4 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Method:
Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the garlic and tomatoes and cook over a medium heat, stirring, for 3–4 minutes.

Discard any clams that won’t shut when tapped, then add them to the pan with the sherry and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then cover tightly and cook over a high heat, shaking the pan vigorously several times, for 4–5 minutes or until the clams have opened. Discard any that remain closed.

Serve the clams immediately in their cooking liquid or leave to cool to room temperature.

For linguine alle vongole, prepare the clams as above. Cook 400 g (13 oz) dried linguine in a large saucepan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions until al dente.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan, add 1 chopped garlic clove and 1 crumbled dried chilli and cook until softened. Add the clams and increase the heat to high, then add 100 ml (3½ fl oz) vermouth and cover tightly.

Cook as above, discarding any clams that remain closed. Drain the pasta, add to the clams and toss well, stir through some chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Clams with tomatoes

Monday, November 23, 2015

Cambodian fish hotpot

How to make Cambodian fish hotpot recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes, Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 shallots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 onion, halved and sliced
600 ml (1 pint) canned coconut milk
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 lemon grass stalk, chopped
4 kaffir lime leaves
3–6 red bird’s eye chillies, halved and seeds removed
300 ml (½ pint) fish stock
1 tablespoon caster sugar
2 tomatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon tomato purée
175 g (6 oz) live clams, cleaned 375 g (12 oz) raw peeled tiger prawns
125 g (4 oz) squid, cleaned and cut into rings
400 g (13 oz) can straw mushrooms, drained
20 holy basil leaves, optional

Method:
Heat the sesame and vegetable oils together in a large flameproof casserole, add the shallots and garlic and fry gently for 2 minutes or until softened but not browned.

Add the onion, coconut water, rice wine vinegar, lemon grass, lime leaves, chillies, stock and sugar to the casserole and bring to the boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then reduce the heat and add the tomatoes, fish sauce and tomato purée and cook for 5 minutes.

Discard any clams that don’t shut when tapped, then add them with the prawns, squid rings and mushrooms to the casserole and simmer gently for 5–6 minutes or until the prawns turn pink, the squid are cooked through and the clams have opened. Discard any clams that remain closed. Stir in the basil leaves if liked.

Serve the hotpot immediately with rice noodles.

For traditional fisherman’s stew, replace the sesame and vegetable oils with olive oil and fry the garlic and shallots as above. When adding the onion, replace the coconut milk, rice wine vinegar, lemon grass, lime leaves, chillies, stock and sugar with 2 x 400 g (13 oz) cans chopped tomatoes, 1 pinch saffron threads, 300 ml (½ pint) white wine and 600 g (1¼ lb) white fish fillets, skinned and cut into bite-sized chunks.

Continue as above, adding the tomatoes, fish sauce and tomato purée, then the prawns, squid rings, and mushrooms, but replace the basil leaves with chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread instead of the noodles, dipping sauce and fresh coriander.

Cambodian fish hotpot

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Pan fried clams with parsley and garlic

How to make Pan fried clams with parsley and garlic recipe - Meat is often paired with seafood in Portuguese cooking. Try adding small cubes of chorizo to this dish, cooking the meat just before you add the clams. Poêlée de palourdes avec le persil et l'ail recette

SERVES 4

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

pinch of sea salt

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1–2 green bell peppers, seeded and finely chopped

¾ cup dry white wine

1lb (450g) fresh clams in the shell, well rinsed (see Cook’s Notes)

handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

lemon wedges, for serving

Method:

1 Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and salt, and cook for about 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and peppers, and cook gently until the peppers begin to soften. Increase the heat to high, and add the wine. Cook for a couple of minutes until the wine begins to evaporate.

2 Add the clams and cook, covered, shaking the pan occasionally, for 5–6 minutes or until the clams open. (Discard any clams that do not open.) Stir in the parsley. Serve hot with fresh crusty bread to sop up the juices, and lemon wedges for squeezing.

Pan fried clams with parsley and garlic

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Mussels in fennel broth

How to make Mussels in fennel broth recipe - To clean the mussels, turn them into the sink and cover with plenty of cold water. Scrape them one by one, to remove any barnacles or hairy “beards,” and scrub the shells. Throw away any that are open or badly cracked, and cook at once. Moules dans un bouillon de fenouil recette

SERVES 4

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 fennel bulb, trimmed and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 all-purpose waxy potatoes, peeled and finely diced

1¼ cups (300ml) hot vegetable stock or light fish stock

1 x 14oz (400ml) can unsweetened coconut milk

3lb (1.35kg) fresh mussels, cleaned (see Cook’s Notes)

handful of fresh basil leaves, torn

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1 Heat the oil in a saucepan over low heat. Add the onion, fennel, and salt, then cook for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and potatoes, and cook for 2 minutes until well coated.

2 Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Stir in the coconut milk, reduce the heat slightly, and simmer gently for about 10 minutes. Bring back to a boil, add the mussels, and cover the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes until the mussels are open (discard any that do not open).

3 To serve, stir in the basil, taste the broth, and season if needed. Serve hot.

Mussels in fennel broth