Featured Fall Recipe

Pasta with penn cove mussels

Ingredients

• 5 lbs Penn Cove mussels, rinsed

• 2 cups of any white wine

• 4-5 bay leaves

• (Optional) Pinch of saffron threads

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 4-5 large garlic cloves chopped or pressed (fresh garlic is best!)

• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• 3/4 pound of your favorite pasta

• Salt to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper (yes, this makes all the difference!)

Directions

Steam those beautiful Penn Cove Mussels

• Grab a big pot and pour in the white wine with the bay leaves. Bring it to a good boil, then toss in your rinsed Penn Cove Mussels. Cover the pot and let them steam for about 5 minutes, giving it a gentle shake now and then. When the mussels open up, they’re ready.

Save That Broth

• Scoop the mussels into a large bowl and set them aside. Strain the liquid from the pot through a fine sieve into a measuring cup, that’s pure flavor right there! If you’ve got saffron, crumble a pinch into the warm broth to bloom.

Butter Bath

• Drizzle the melted butter over the mussels and give them a good toss so they’re all nicely coated. Cover the bowl loosely to keep them warm. (Toss out any mussels that didn’t open, they’re not invited to dinner.)

Start the Sauce

• Heat up the olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add the chopped garlic and let it sizzle gently until golden and fragrant (about 3 or 4 minutes). Sprinkle in the red pepper flakes and cook for another minute to wake up the spice.

Add the Magic

• Slowly pour in the mussel broth, being careful not to pour in any grit from the bottom. Squeeze in the lemon juice and let everything simmer until the liquid reduces and thickens a bit about 8 minutes or so.

Cook the Pasta

• Meanwhile, cook your favorite pasta in a big pot of salted boiling water until it’s just al dente. Drain.

Bring It All Together

• Add the buttered mussels and the hot pasta right into your sauce pan. Toss everything together over low heat until the pasta is glossy and coated with all that garlicky, lemony mussel goodness.

Finish & Serve

• Season with a little salt and plenty of fresh cracked black pepper. Serve it up in warm bowls, making sure everyone gets a good share of mussels. Pour yourself a glass of that same white wine... you’ve earned it.

This recipe was inspired by Marcia Kiesel’s ‘Pasta with Mussels’ recipe from Food & Wine.