Description
A flavorful and easy-to-make recipe featuring fresh mussels steamed in a vibrant tomato, garlic, and chilli sauce, enhanced with white wine and fresh basil. Perfect for a light and elegant seafood meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Produce
- 2 ripe tomatoes
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 red or green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- Good handful basil leaves
Pantry
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp tomato paste
- Pinch of sugar
- Small glass dry white wine (approximately 125 ml)
Seafood
- 1kg cleaned mussels
Instructions
- Prepare the Tomatoes: Place the tomatoes in a heatproof bowl and cover them with boiling water. Let them sit for 3 minutes, then drain and peel off the skins. Cut the tomatoes into quarters and use a teaspoon to scoop out and discard the seeds. Roughly chop the remaining tomato flesh.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large pan with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add the finely chopped garlic, shallot, and chilli. Gently fry the mixture for 2-3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add Liquids and Simmer Sauce: Pour in the dry white wine, then add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, a pinch of sugar, and season lightly with salt and pepper, keeping in mind that mussels have natural saltiness. Stir everything well and let the sauce simmer for about 2 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Cook Mussels: Add the cleaned mussels to the pan and stir to coat them in the sauce. Cover the pan tightly with the lid and steam the mussels for 3-4 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through cooking to ensure even heat distribution. The mussels are done when most of the shells have opened.
- Serve: Discard any mussels that remain closed. Divide the cooked mussels between two bowls and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Provide a large bowl for guests to discard empty shells.
Notes
- Ensure mussels are cleaned properly by rinsing and debearding before cooking.
- Do not add too much salt since the mussels are naturally salty.
- If some mussels remain closed after cooking, discard them as they are not safe to eat.
- Serve with crusty bread to soak up the delicious tomato and wine broth.
- Adjust chilli amount to your preferred spice level.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: mussels, seafood, tomato sauce, chilli, white wine, basil, quick recipe, Mediterranean
