Provincetown Mussels

Spice Boy's Note:

I was recently inspired on a trip to Cape Cod to incorporate the flavors of Portuguese Kale Soup into a steamed mussel dish. Kale soup was made a staple in P-town by Portuguese settlers. This recipe is simple and flavorful, and you'll want lots of crusty bread to soak up the sauce! Linguica is a mild Portuguese sausage that may be hard to find. Spanish chourico (which is different from Mexican chorizo) is a spicier substitute, but that can also be hard to find. Smoked sausage would be an easy alternative, but for the true Portuguese flavor, you need linguica - you can order it from www.gasparssausage.com.

• Total Time: 25 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

• 2 lbs mussels , cleaned and debearded
• 1 cup dry white wine (such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ lb linguica sausage , chopped
• 1 shallot , chopped
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 4 kale leaves , stemmed and thinly sliced
• 1 pint grape tomatoes , halved
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 lemon
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Melt 1 T butter with the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the linguica and kale and saute for about 5 minutes, until the linguica has some color and some fat has been rendered.
2. Add the shallot, garlic, and red pepper flakes and saute until the shallot and garlic are softened, about 3 minutes.
3. Turn the heat to medium-high and add the wine. Bring to a boil. Add the mussels and cover.
4. Cook the mussels, shaking the pot occasionally, until the mussels are almost cooked, about 5 to 8 minutes. In the last minute or two, add the remaining 1 T butter and the tomatoes and give the pot a good shake.
5. Finish with salt and pepper and the juice of the lemon. Serve with crusty bread.

Reviews

[GinCanCook]

Best mussells ever!