Steamed Mussels In A Red Chile Broth Recipes

STEAMED MUSSELS WITH SPICY RED PEPPER AIOLI

Steps:

• To make the aioli: Place the red pepper on an open flame or grill. Turn to blacken on all sides. When fully charred, remove to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let pepper cool, until you can handle it comfortably. Using your fingers, remove blackened skin to reveal the red color underneath. (A paper towel will wipe off what you can't remove with your fingers.) Coarsely chop the pepper and place it in the bowl of a food processor. Add the yolks, garlic, vinegar, chili paste, and salt to taste. Puree until the mixture is homogeneous. While the machine is running VERY slowly drizzle in the oil, until incorporated. Check the aioli for texture and flavor. If it's too thick, add a few drops of water to thin it down, or on the flip side if it's too thin add more oil. The desired outcome is a fairly thin aioli. Check the flavor and add more salt or chili paste, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• To cook the mussels: In a pot, large enough to accommodate all the mussels, generously coat with olive oil. Add the onions and bring to a medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Cook the onions until they are very soft and aromatic but have no color. Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaf and cook for another 2 to3 minutes. Stir to be sure the garlic doesn't burn. Add the mussels and stir to coat with the oil. Add the wine and cover the pot. Steam the mussels for 5 to 6 minutes or until all the shells open. If some shells don't open, cook them for a little longer. Sometimes the freshest mussels are the most stubborn to open. Remove the mussels that don't open after longer cooking. When in doubt, throw out.
• While the mussels are steaming, grill or toast the slices of bread.
• Serve the mussels in individual bowls with lots of the juice from the bottom of the pot. Generously drizzle each bowl with the aioli. Garnish with toast. (You may want to have more toasted bread on hand to sop up the delicious liquid!)
• *RAW EGG WARNING
• Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.

STEAMED MUSSELS WITH COCONUT-GREEN CHILE BROTH AND BLACK PEPPER FRENCH FRIES WITH SMOKED RED PEPPER AIOLI

Steps:

• For the mussels: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the poblano puree and clam broth and cook until reduced by half, stirring occasionally. Add the coconut milk and honey and cook until reduced by half. Transfer the mixture to a blender (rinse out the pan) add the spinach, salt and pepper, to taste, and blend until smooth. Place the pan back on the stove over high heat. Add the wine to the pot, bring to a boil and reduce by half. Add the green chile broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the mussels, cover the pot and cook until the mussels open, discarding any that do not, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the butter and parsley and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon into bowls, garnish with more parsley, if desired, and serve with bread on the side.
• For the French Fries: Cut the potatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices then cut each slice into 1/4-inc thick fries. Place the fries in a large bowl of cold water. Heat the oil in a large, straight-sided skillet to 325 degrees F. Drain fries in batches on paper towels. Fry each batch for 3 to 4 minutes until a pale blonde color and remove to a sheet pan lined with paper towels. Increase the heat of the oil to 375 degrees F and fry the potatoes again, in batches, until golden brown. Remove to a sheet pan lined with paper towels and season liberally with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• For the Aioli: Combine the mayonnaise, pepper, chipotle, salt and pepper in a food processor and process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve the fries with the aioli alongside the mussels.

AMAZING MUSSELS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots, and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned. Add a splash of the beef broth, jalapeno, and red chile pepper, and simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors.
• Add the tomatoes, basil leaves, white wine, and remaining beef broth. Bring to a boil. Dissolve cornstarch in a small amount of the light cream, and pour it and the rest of the cream into the stock pot. Return to a boil, and add the mussels. Cook until all of the shells have opened, about 5 minutes.

STEAMERS IN RED CHILE PESTO BROTH

Steps:

• Heat grill to high.
• Place a large kettle on the grill, add wine and bring to a boil. Add the steamers, cover and steam until opened, discarding any that do not open. Remove steamers to a large bowl with a slotted spoon.
• Bring liquid back to a boil and reduce by half. Whisk in the red chile pesto and honey. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the cilantro. Pour the mixture over the steamers and serve immediately.
• Place chiles in a bowl and cover with boiling water; let sit until soft, at least 30 minutes.
• Remove the chiles from the liquid, reserving the liquid, and coarsely chop. Place the chiles in the bowl of a food processor along with 1/4 cup of the soaking liquid, honey, cilantro, garlic and pine nuts and process until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the oil until emulsified; season with salt and pepper.

MUSSELS IN SPICY RED SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper, and saute until fragrant, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add the white wine and tomato sauce, increase the heat to high, cover and bring to a boil.
• Add the mussels and replace the lid. Cook over high heat 3 minutes. Remove the lid and stir once gently. Continue to cook until the mussels are completely open and firmly cooked, about 4 minutes more.
• Remove the pot from the heat and transfer the mussels gently from the pot to a large bowl with a Chinese wire mesh skimmer. Return the pot to the heat and increase the heat to high. Boil for a minute or 2, until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Pour the sauce over the mussels and serve immediately.
• Place the canned tomatoes in a large bowl and place your (clean) hands in the bowl and crush the tomatoes so they breakup into a range of small pieces.
• In a 5-quart Dutch oven heat the olive oil over medium heat until it is fragrant, but before it smokes, about 40 seconds. Add the bay leaves and stir them in the oil until they begin to brown, about 10 seconds. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until it starts to turn golden brown, then add the onions, carrots, and oregano. Cook the vegetables until they are very brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally, just enough to prevent them from scorching.
• Add the crushed tomatoes with their juice, the tomato paste, salt and pepper, and 1 1/2 cups of water, (white wine or clam juice can be added depending on the intended use) and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer, partially covered until the sauce level has reduced by 2 or 3 inches and the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Cook the sauce for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick.
• Remove from heat, cool down in the pot, then when at room temperature, transfer to a sealed plastic container and refrigerate until ready to use.
• This sauce will keep 10 days in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator.
• Using my recipe for basic Red Sauce, you can make a quick and spicy "fra diavolo" sauce that is delicious drizzled over grilled squid and other seafood. For equipment you will need a 3-quart saucepan and a wooden spoon.
• Heat the olive oil in a 3-quart saucepan slightly over medium heat and saute the garlic and crushed red pepper until the garlic is fragrant and beginning to brown, about 40 seconds.
• Add the Red Sauce, clam juice, and salt, to taste, and simmer, stirring occasionally over medium-low heat, until the sauce returns to the thickness and quantity of the Red Sauce, about 15 minutes.