How can you go wrong for a Saturday lunch?
Blue mussels are readily available anywhere but if you live in Dade, Broward, or Palm Beach counties you can get them shipped to your door from Fish On Dish.
This is the bit of goodness you eat.
Do not eat the pretty shell. But you can use it to...
Make a bed of lobster stock, mussel juice, crispy bacon, shallots, & jalapeno.
Dude, I'd wanna sleep in that.
Blue mussels cook quickly. That means they over cook quickly. Please do not over cook your mussels. You will end up with something truly inedible.
Drop your mussels in a pan with liquid, cover with a tight fitting lid. Count on about 4 minutes of cooking time. Then get them the hell out.
For this Dish, I used:
- Lobster stock
- White wine
- Applewood Smoked Bacon
- Shallots
- Jalapenos
- Orange Juice
Note: Once the mussels open up in your pan, they will release their lovely mussel juice, which of course will add to your sauce.
I paired my mussels with Sweet Potato Fries. Now, for flavor contrast and balance, I served the fries with a tangy chipotle sauce, in place of ketchup.
Finish the dish with two ingredients that always go a long way...
- Edible Flowers
- White Truffle Oil
Blue Mussels with Sweet Potato Fries
That's it for now...till we exchange a few words again...Peace!
A winner, as usual. I just love how you plated this one. And those charming little violas push it over the edge.
ReplyDeleteLL
Laz, suddenly a plate of mussels has been given a whole new dimension. Normally my kids use the shell to just scoop these gems out but now I want mine the Laz way. Absolutely stunning flavours and presentation as ever.
ReplyDeleteWowsa! I could catch a cat nap in one of those heavenly shells myself. So good :)
ReplyDeleteWow, Laz! That's your Saturday lunch?! I can't even remember what I had for lunch yesterday, which pretty much says it all, lol. This is beautiful and I'm sure the flavors you used made it come together perfectly.
ReplyDeleteAside from being delicious... they are so good for you with a huge protein to calorie exchange. What you've done is splendid. Gorgeous presentation and great flavor profile. NUM>
ReplyDeleteBeautifully prepared, seasoned, presented, plated and photographed!!!
ReplyDeleteBlue and orange have always complemented each other. The sweet potatoes simply make the dish more glorious.
ReplyDeleteHey Laz, the mussels look so mouth-watering! It has certainly caught my attention. Hahaha! Love the shots :) Good to be here!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous post! I could SO sleep in one of those :) :) I LOVE sweet potato fries and I'm sure they were amazing with the sweet mussels... Beautiful pictures & plating too! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the clear explanation on how to eat mussels. I finally realized why I did not like them so much. It was because I would try and eat the shells. Oh silly Nat LOL. Great work friend and as always the presentation is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteDivine strawberry bread pudding, Lazaro. That cookbook keeps me up nights I love it so. More about the festival, please.
ReplyDeleteI love your spoonfuls of mussels...the shells make perfect spoons (and perfect tweezers for oysters). Of course, the sweet potato fries do it for me. Crunchy sweet goodness. Who needs dessert?
This looks incredible. The mussels look extra flavorful with the addition of the ingredients used.
ReplyDeleteSuch beautifully prepared blue mussels...the presentation alone make a party at your house way at the top of my wish list :)
ReplyDeleteAnother work of art from you Laz...with those ingredients i can just imagine the taste.
ReplyDeleteGood morning! I just wanted to let you know that I shared this recipe on my weekly seafood round up. Thank you for allowing me share, have a great day! :)
ReplyDeletehttp://carriesexperimentalkitchen.blogspot.com/2012/03/week-10-seafood-frenzy-friday.html