Bombdiggidy Baked Mussels Recipes

Steps:

• Debeard and clean the exterior of the mussel shells very well (they will be used later for service).
• In a cast-iron Dutch oven over high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the garlic, red pepper flakes, white wine and thyme. Bring the wine to a simmer and add the mussels. Cover tightly and cook until all the mussels have opened, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Remove the mussels from the pot, discarding any that did not open, and when cool enough to handle, remove the flesh and chop. Rinse the shells and put aside for service. Strain the liquid from the pot and reserve. Wipe the Dutch oven clean with a paper towel.
• Place the pot over medium-high heat, add the remaining olive oil and, when shimmering, add the onions and bell peppers and saute until the onions are just starting to caramelize, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the serrano, the remaining garlic and the tomatoes and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the butter and the flour. Once the butter melts, slowly incorporate the milk. Add the reserved cooking liquid from the mussels, a little at a time, until the mixture is creamy but not runny. Add the chopped mussels and gradually add 1 cup panko, as needed, and stir gently to combine.
• Preheat the oven to broil and adjust the rack to 6 inches below the element.
• Separate, rinse and dry the mussel shells.
• Spread the rock salt evenly in an ovenproof serving platter. Fill the mussel shells with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the mussel-vegetable mixture. Place the remaining cup of panko in a shallow bowl or plate and spread out. Gently roll the filled shells in the panko. Nest the filled mussels into the rock salt on the prepared platter. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper, place under the broiler and broil until golden brown and bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning.
• Sprinkle with the chopped Italian parsley, squeeze a few lemon wedges over the mussels and garnish with remaining lemon wedges and serve immediately.

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.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine kelp with 4 cups of cool water and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Reserve 2 cups of the kelp water.
• On a lightly greased rimmed sheet pan, arrange half of the softened kelp in the center, allowing excess water to drip off kelp and slightly overlapping the pieces. (Do not squeeze water out of the kelp). Rub halibut with 2 tablespoons of oil and season with salt. Set halibut in the center of the kelp and lift kelp over the sides of the fish. It should stick to the fish. Top halibut with the remaining kelp, slightly overlapping, and tuck the kelp loosely underneath the fish to enclose it.
• Roast halibut until just opaque in the center, about 15 minutes. A metal cake tester or skewer inserted in the center of the fish should feel warm to the touch. Transfer wrapped halibut to a serving platter.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot, combine clam juice and the reserved kelp water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add mussels, cover and cook until mussels open, 2 to 3 minutes; begin checking mussels at 2 minutes and transfer them to a bowl as they open (discard any that do not open). Tent with foil to keep warm. Pour mussel broth into a separate bowl, leaving behind any grit in the pot, and reserve the broth. Rinse out pot to remove any grit.
• Combine 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice with the saffron in a small bowl and mix well. In the rinsed pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add reserved mussel broth (and any juice that has drained from the mussels) and saffron-lemon juice, and bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently to allow flavors to meld, about 5 minutes. Discard garlic.
• While whisking constantly, add butter 1 tablespoon at a time, blending in each addition before adding the next. Then, whisk in heavy cream. Gently simmer until sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, parsley and tarragon, and season with salt. You should have about 2 cups of sauce.
• Remove the top layer of kelp to reveal halibut. You can serve the kelp to eat with the fish or discard it. Arrange mussels around halibut, removing the top shells for easier eating if you'd like. Spoon some sauce over the mussels and fish, and garnish with parsley and tarragon.
• To serve, divide the fish and mussels among plates. Garnish with more parsley and tarragon. Serve with the remaining sauce on the side.