Mussels are always a good idea. So when I saw these really amazing organic black mussels on my recent trip to my neighborhood grocery store I knew I was making one of my favorite dishes with them.
Mussels are one of those great ingredients that has a lot of flexibility with cooking techniques and flavors. No matter how you prepare them, a bowl of mussels will always be a delicious thing you are bound to enjoy. My mussels with chorizo & tomatoes has less than 10 ingredients and takes 20 minutes to prepare, so even as a mid-week meal you will not be in the kitchen all day, just simply eating fabulously.
Mussels w. Chorizo & Tomatoes
1 pouch of mussels, rinsed and hairs removed
garlic, peeled and sliced
1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 can of crushed tomatoes
1/4 c. stock or water
2-3 pieces of chorizo, cut into chunks
1/2 bunch parsley, washed and chopped
salt
pepper
oil
sugar, to taste
** Here, I used chorizo to add an additional level of flavor, however if you do not eat chorizo/meat please feel free to omit it from this recipe **
Rinse fresh mussels in cold water and throw away any broken, cracked or open mussels. Remove the beard from the mussels if any, and place in the fridge until ready to cook.
In a large sauce pan, preferably with a lid heat some oil over medium heat.
When your pan is hot add in sliced garlic, shallots, and chorizo if using and sauté until shallots are soft about 5 minutes. Next, add in your can of crushed tomatoes and stock (or water) and simmer for 5 minutes, seasoning with your desired amounts of salt and pepper and enough sugar just to cut the taste of the bitter tomatoes. When sauce comes to a boil, add in your mussels, toss and cover with a lid.
Allow mussels to cook for 8 minutes and at the 8 minute mark, take off the lid and toss mussels checking to see if all the shells have opened. If some shells are still closed, place the lid back on and simmer until all shells have opened completely. Once all mussels have opened, add chopped parsley, toss and spoon mussels into a bowl.
Serve immediately & eat fabulously!
