Penn Cove Mussels with Coconut Broth

Brimmer & Heeltap / SEATTLE
John Pool

SERVES 6

FOR COCONUT BROTH

• 8 ounces yellow onion, diced
• 8 ounces carrot, diced
• 8 ounces celery, diced
• 4 ounces ginger, sliced
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 cup white wine
• 24 ounces coconut milk
• 19 ounces coconut cream
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon salt

FOR MUSSELS

• 3 pounds Penn Cove mussels

TO SERVE

• 6 ounces butter
• 4 ounces asparagus (cut in ¼-inch spears)
• 4 ounces Yukon gold potatoes (diced ¼-inch cubes)
• 4 ounces breakfast radish (leave whole)
• 4 ounces fennel (diced ¼ inch)
• 4 ounces pea vines
• Salt and pepper, to taste

FOR COCONUT BROTH

1. Sauté onion, carrot, celery, ginger and garlic for 10 minutes in a medium heavy pot. Add bay leaves, and deglaze with white wine. After wine has evaporated, add coconut milk and cream. Cook on medium heat for 30 minutes. Turn off heat, and let sit for 20 minutes.
2. Once broth has set, season with lemon juice and salt. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, and cool.

FOR MUSSELS

1. Clean mussels by running under cold water, and remove mussel beards (growth on outside of shell).
2. Bring 8 quarts of water to a boil, and add mussels to cook. Cook mussels until shells open (approximately 8 minutes). Drain mussels, and cool in ice bath.
3. Once mussels are chilled, pick mussels out of the shells, and discard shells. Set aside mussels to build the dish.

TO SERVE

1. Heat the coconut broth. Once steaming hot, taste and adjust seasoning as needed with lemon juice and salt.
2. In a medium pot, bring butter and 4 cups of water to a simmer, and add asparagus, potatoes, radish, fennel and mussels. Cook for 6 minutes.
3. Remove cooked mussels and vegetables from butter and water mixture, and divide evenly between 6 shallow serving bowls (centered in middle of bowl).
4. Quickly add pea vines to butter and water mixture, and cook for 30 seconds.
5. Garnish mussels and vegetables with pea vines, and season with salt and fresh-cracked pepper. To finish and serve, evenly pour 6 ounces of coconut broth around vegetables and mussels in each bowl while steaming hot.

Penn Cove Mussels

Ben Paris, The State Hotel / SEATTLE
Jacy Thomson

SERVES 1-2

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 8 ounces Penn Cove mussels, cleaned and debearded
• ½ tablespoon minced garlic
• Pinch of salt
• 3½ ounces dry white wine
• 3 ounces vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper
• 1 tablespoon harissa spice
• 2 knobs of butter
• 1½ grams shaved fennel
• Splash of fresh lemon juice (about one wedge)
• Chopped chives, for garnish
• Slice of miche bread, to serve

Instructions:

1. Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the olive oil, cherry tomatoes, mussels, garlic and a pinch of salt. Toss lightly as the ingredients begin to sweat and release their aromas.
2. Pour in the white wine, and carefully flambé to cook off the alcohol. Once the flames subside, add the vegetable stock, and stir in the red pepper flakes, Aleppo pepper and harissa spice. Cover with a lid, and let the mussels steam for 3-4 minutes, or until all have opened.
3. Remove the lid, add the butter and shaved fennel, and gently stir to combine. Finish with a splash of fresh lemon juice.
4. To serve, ladle the mussels and broth into a large bowl. Garnish with chopped chives and a slice of miche bread for soaking up the rich, spiced broth.

Chef’s note: Serve immediately with chilled white wine for a perfect taste of Seattle’s coast.

Pumpkin Spice Steamed Mussels

Taylor Shellfish Farms / SHELTON, BOW, SEATTLE
Kourtney Paranteau

SERVES 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 shallot, chopped into thin rings
• 4 pounds Taylor Shellfish mussels, cleaned and debearded
• 2-3 cups dry white wine (such as muscadet)
• 1 cup pumpkin purée (be careful not to grab pumpkin pie filling!)
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons red curry
• 6 sprigs cilantro, picked
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons flake salt

Instructions:

1. In a Dutch oven, heat butter over medium heat. Add garlic and shallot, and cook until translucent and fragrant (about 4 minutes).
2. Add mussels, and pour the white wine over the shellfish. Cover the pot for 5 minutes, and allow the mussels to pop open.
3. After that time has passed, open the lid, and stir the mussels in the wine using a wooden spoon. Using kitchen tongs, pluck all of the mussels that have opened, and place them in a large bowl. Stir, and allow the remaining mussels to cook for an additional 2 minutes to allow any of the remaining mussels to yawn. Discard any mussels that refuse to open.
4. Lower the heat to medium-low. Whisk the pumpkin purée, coconut milk and curry into the broth, and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Return the mussels to the pot, remove from heat, ladle them into 4 bowls and finish with cilantro, green onion and flake salt.