Creamy Mussel Pasta
Mussels:
1 lb of mussels
2 shallots, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tbsp of dijon mustard
1/2 a lemon, squeezed
3/4 of a bottle of wine
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 tomato, diced
Pasta:
2 small handfulls of linguine
olive oil
1 clove of garlic, chopped
2 cups of cream
mussel broth
a nice big handful of spinach
We start with the mussels. Combine everything but the mussels in a nice big pot and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes. You may notice there is not a lot of liquid in the pot but that is how its supposed to be. After cleaning the mussels (in cold water) toss them in the pot and put the lid on. Let them steam for about 5 minutes then take the lid off and give them a little stir, then cover and let cook for another 5 minutes. Now they should be open and cooked, take them off the heat and separate the mussels from the broth.
Now you can start the pasta, put a pot of water to boil, then cook the linguine until al dente (still firm). Once you have the water on, you can start the sauce, coat the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of olive oil and put on medium heat. Add the garlic and let it cook. Turn the heat down and add the cream. Then add the peppers, shallots, and tomato from the mussel broth and then add the pasta. Mix in the pasta then slowly add the mussel broth until you have your desired flavour. Toss in the spinach just until it wilts. Now plate the pasta and fan the mussels on top, garnish with a little salt and pepper and some chopped fresh parsley if you have it. And there you go! A delicious, quick, and elegant dish!
