Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (6 cloves)
• 1 to 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
• 1 cup white wine or cooking wine
• 2 cups Red Sauce – recipe follows
• 3 pounds medium mussels, scrubbed, de-bearded, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves

Directions

• Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper, and saute until fragrant, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add the white wine and tomato sauce, increase the heat to high, cover and bring to a boil
• Add the mussels and replace the lid. Cook over high heat 3 minutes. Remove the lid and stir once gently. Continue to cook until the mussels are completely open and firmly cooked, about 4 minutes more.
• Remove the pot from the heat and transfer the mussels gently from the pot to a large bowl with a Chinese wire mesh skimmer. Return the pot to the heat and increase the heat to high. Boil for a minute or 2, until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Pour the sauce over the mussels and serve immediately.

Red Sauce

• 2 (35-ounce) cans plum tomatoes in juice
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 head (about 12 medium cloves) garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 medium onions (about 12 ounces), cut in 1/4-inch dice
• 2 medium carrots (about 8 ounces), cut in 1/4-inch dice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper, and saute until fragrant, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add the white wine and tomato sauce, increase the heat to high, cover and bring to a boil
• Add the mussels and replace the lid. Cook over high heat 3 minutes. Remove the lid and stir once gently. Continue to cook until the mussels are completely open and firmly cooked, about 4 minutes more.
• Remove the pot from the heat and transfer the mussels gently from the pot to a large bowl with a Chinese wire mesh skimmer. Return the pot to the heat and increase the heat to high. Boil for a minute or 2, until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Pour the sauce over the mussels and serve immediately.

Click below for a pdf of:
Mussels in Spicy Red Sauce