Steamed Mussles with Roasted Chiles

This time of year, (from late August to the end of September), in our area of the country, means it's Hatch Chili Season.  And getting your hands on a batch, or even better a bushel of these wonderful lightly pungent, (similar to an onion, or like garlic), with a subtly sweet, spicy, crisp, and smoky taste peppers and then having them roasted until the skin is a black charred coating, which delivers an earthiness and bite while it mellows the front-heat and delivers more of a back-heat.  

 A hatch chili is grown in the hatch valley of New Mexico.  In it's non roasted form, it looks very much like any other green or red chili.  The one exception is that the hatch chili has a thicker skin which protects it from the extremely hot day and very cold nights of the area that it is grown in.  And, this thick skin is what makes it wonderful for roasting, since the smoky flavor penetrates the chili without damaging the interior cells.  And a full bushel of roasted chili this time of year in our area will usually only cost around $25 - $30.  It's a good deal to get a bushel, and pack them in small freezer bags to use all year long.

Also, I noticed that a local grocer was selling mussels for a really good price of $4.99 a pound, so I knew that with some of my chilies and a few items from the garden, a full dinner was not far from the table.  This is a recipe that your friends will think took you all day to prepare, but in reality, you can have this on the table in about an hour, (including all the prep time).  And there won't be hardly any leftovers.  You can easily feed 4 to 6 people with this recipe,  and it's all prepared on the stove top.

You will need:
6 Tabs butter
1 leek
1 cup cilantro
2 or 3 roasted chilies
2 pounds of tomatoes
3 cloves garlic
2 cups chicken broth, (or dry white wine)
2 to 3 pound mussels
salt and pepper
lemon

First slice the white part and just the very light green part of the leek into rounds and rinse very well.

Next sort through the mussels and discard any broken or cracked mussels.  If you find any mussels that are open just tap them on the counter lightly and they should close up - if they don't, discard them.  Next, notice that little protrusion, (that's called the beard), remove it.

Just grab it with a paring knife and pull it out of the mussel and discard it.   Give your mussels a light rinse.

 Slice the garlic

I am using tomatoes from my garden, but you can also use 1 - 28 ounce can of tomatoes.  Also, you can use Fire Roasted Tomatoes to add another wonderful layer of flavor to this dish, instead of fresh tomatoes.

Chop tomatoes

Remove the exterior skin, seeds and membrane from roasted chilies.  Depending on the level of heat you would like in your broth, you can leave a few seeds and the membrane.

 Chop the chilies

Chop the cilantro leaves.

If you want, you can also use flat leaf parsley.

In a sauce pan,over medium high heat, melt 4 Tablespoons of butter.

Add the leek and saute' lightly, just until soft, (but NOT brown).

Add the cilantro and stir

 Add the chilies

Add the tomatoes

Add the chicken broth.

I am using my homemade chicken broth, but you can also use store bought.

Add the garlic.  Give everything a good stir.

Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat and let the broth simmer for about 5 minutes, (to allow the flavors to marry each other).

 Now increase the heat to high, and add the mussels.  Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and let cook for 5 to 6 minutes.  Do not lift the lid and peek at the mussels, just let them steam.

After the mussel are done, (they will be open), remove the mussels immediately, from the broth, (and discard any mussels that did NOT open during steaming).

Continue boiling the broth for about another 2 minutes to reduce it down, then add another 2 Tablespoons butter, and remove from heat.

Squeeze the juice from 1/2 of lemon into the broth.

Give the broth a taste, then season with salt and pepper.

 Pour the broth over your mussels, and you are ready to serve.

 This dish has almost your complete meal, fish, and vegetables.  Usually, I like to cook a little linguine on the side to have with my steamed mussels.

But, tonight we are have a big tossed salad and steamed mussels for dinner.

Give this easy dish a try and your family and friends will be wowed and truly enjoy it.

Now go enjoy a new way with steamed mussels.