policyvote Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 (edited) Our small local Farmer's Market is only open on Saturdays. It's become a family tradition to get out there early (before my oldest's ballet class), and stock up on produce, butter, cheese, herbs, artisan bread, etc. for the week. Later, we usually go to Meijer for proteins and sundries. Tonight, we were at the meat/fish counter, and mussels were on sale: $4 for a 2-pound bag. I've never made mussels (or clams, or oysters) before, and neither my wife nor my kids had ever had them. Handily, Meijer has recipe cards right near the counter, and in the linguine with mussels recipe, it called for many ingredients we'd just gotten at the market: red onion, roma tomatoes, garlic, etc. So, I made the recipe--incredible; totally tasty and satisfying. We also had bakery cheese garlic bread, and herbed oil for dipping. We decided to eat it on the front lawn just for kicks--and man, what a good decision. We had a great, great meal out on the lawn. When we were all stuffed and wondering how to cap it, we heard the lo-fi toodling of an ice cream truck. It turned out to be an ice cream bike--a reverse trike with a freezer chest between the front wheels--but the ice cream tasted great anyway. It was the most serendipitous, and perfect, ending to a lovely meal with my family. Just thought I'd share. Oh and between the 2 lbs. mussels, 1 lb. linguine, 1 red onion, 4 roma tomatoes, and 4 cloves of garilc (plus oil, salt, pepper, etc. that we have around anyway), this meal cost less than $10 to make a "serves six" batch. Incredibly highly recommended. Peace policy PS: prolly oughta put the recipe in, eh? First, clean/scrub mussels, then get 'em back in the fridge. Chop onion, mince garlic, heat 4 tbsp. olive oil in big skillet. Get 5 qts. water on high in a pot. Saute onion & garlic in oil while dicing tomatoes. Saute until soft but not so long garlic turns golden. Add tomatoes and fresh herbs (I used basil, recipe calls for marjoram (?) ). Add a little water, and stir/press/stir until it's all nice and juicy. While this mixture simmers and thickens, get linguine in the now-boiling water. About five minutes before al dente is reached, put the mussels in the skillet with the veggies. Cover and heat until the mussels all open. Drain the pasta when it hits al dente, put it in a big serving bowl, and then dump the skillet over the pasta and stir/toss/incorporate. The mussels are best piping hot, so dish it up and tuck in! Very very very fast, cheap, and tasty meal. Edited July 12, 2009 by policyvote Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Cid Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 Yes, I love messels and will pick them up whenever they go on sale. I prefer my mussels with bread instead of pasta but I've made them that way before. More importantly, I love picnics as well so you had a double good time with the fam. Nicely done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bier Meister Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 if you liked those, do a little search for mussels... a lot of other ways to play with them are posted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpwallace49 Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 I have a Sullivan's Steakhouse nearby and they had the absolute best starter dish I have had a restaurant in some time. About a pound of mussels in a butter/garlic/shallot sauce with chunks of andouille sausage and jalapenos served with toasted slices of a french baguette . . . . heavenly . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bier Meister Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 i am more old school with mine: garlic, shallot, butter....... deglaze with white wine and clam juice...... add mussells...cover and steam.... finish with a little cream. diced tomato and chif of basil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheikYerbuti Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 garlic, shallot, butter....... deglaze with white wine and clam juice...... add mussells...cover and steam.... finish with a little cream. diced tomato and chif of basil. :stomachgrumbling: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt. Waffle Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 Love'em, can nearly eat them till I'm sick.......almost, but then again the sames true for oysters and clams as well......love me some mollusk. I love any mussels marinara dish, but right outta the steamer with some garlic butter, sitting on the dock with a bucket of iced down beers and watching the sun go down on the Stump Sound is really hard to beat, just one of those simple pleasures in life that's just untoucable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicCEO Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 My wife asked me where I wanted to go for my birthday dinner, and I said "Anywhere that serves steamers" Unfortunately, there is no place in Colorado that has both steamers and a kids menu that we could find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bier Meister Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 My wife asked me where I wanted to go for my birthday dinner, and I said "Anywhere that serves steamers" Unfortunately, there is no place in Colorado that has both steamers and a kids menu that we could find. at some point, you need to hit le central or the cheeky monk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundaynfl Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 This might be fun to cook in the front yard during a picnic... (Terrée de Moules) Pine needles impart a delicious, smoky tang to the mussels in a classic terrée de moules, or mussel bake, which is traditionally done on the beach. The same results (and spectacle) can be achieved by means of a standard kettle grill. If you have access to dried, pesticide-free longleaf pine needles (from a species like aleppo or umbrella), you can collect your own (make sure they're completely brown). Place 1 1⁄2 lbs. scrubbed and bearded mussels, rounded side up, about 1"–2" apart, between the slats of the grill grate. Pile lightly packed dried pine needles atop mussels to a height of about 12". Light needles with a match; stand back. Allow needles to burn to ash, about 4–5 minutes. Dust away excess ash. Eat the mussels straight from the grill. (Discard any that are unopened.) Serves 4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
policyvote Posted July 15, 2009 Author Share Posted July 15, 2009 Wow, thanks for all the recipes and suggestions! I am positive we are going to be trying these out sooner rather than later! Peace policy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bier Meister Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 This might be fun to cook in the front yard during a picnic... (Terrée de Moules) Pine needles impart a delicious, smoky tang to the mussels in a classic terrée de moules, or mussel bake, which is traditionally done on the beach. The same results (and spectacle) can be achieved by means of a standard kettle grill. If you have access to dried, pesticide-free longleaf pine needles (from a species like aleppo or umbrella), you can collect your own (make sure they're completely brown). Place 1 1⁄2 lbs. scrubbed and bearded mussels, rounded side up, about 1"–2" apart, between the slats of the grill grate. Pile lightly packed dried pine needles atop mussels to a height of about 12". Light needles with a match; stand back. Allow needles to burn to ash, about 4–5 minutes. Dust away excess ash. Eat the mussels straight from the grill. (Discard any that are unopened.) Serves 4. my friend's fiancee is from france. friend recently told me about their last trip to france... they visited her relative in the north and they did the mussels this way. said they were amazing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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