This year I plan to cook more and eat out less often. Is that a resolution?
On New Year's Eve I rang in this new year, yes literally rang (bells and all) with a gorgeous meal at home. We started with a cheese plate: comox brie, herbed chevre, and havarti. The cheese starter was accompanied by a smoked salmon lox, olives, dried figs, olive filone bread, and peppery crackers.
Our main course featured steamed local mussels, green salad and more filone bread for dipping into the mussel broth. It was fresh, simple, and satisfying. May there be many more meals like this to come.
So here's to a healthy appetite, a warm kitchen, and an adventurous palate for 2010!
Steamed Mussels:
As many mussels as you think you can eat (rinsed), throw out any that are already open
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1-2 cloves of garlic, sliced
1-2 cups white wine
Salt & pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in large sauce pot on stove on medium heat. Sweat the onions for 2-5 minutes or until they become transparent and start to brown. Add the garlic and stir. Immediately add the mussels. Stir again. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Toss the mussels frequently in the broth. Once the mussels have all opened, they are done. Keep an eye on them. They may take around 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
A note: when I purchased my mussels from the local grocery store, the fish monger/seafood man said that you can "stroke" the back of a raw mussel if it is open. Apparently this TLC is supposed to encourage the mussel to close, thus preparing it to be cooked. If the mussel cannot be coaxed into closing, then it is considered in-edible. My understanding is that if a bi-valve's shell is broken, then it also should not be eaten.
Filone Bread and Cheese Assortment
