Mussels with Merguez Sausage

By DreiFromBK

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 pound merguez sausage, casing removed and sausage crumbled (see Note)
• 4 medium shallots, minced
• Kosher salt
• 1 cup full-bodied white wine, such as Chardonnay
• 1 large tomato, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon Urfa or Aleppo chile (see Note)
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro plus 1 teaspoon minced cilantro stems
• 2 pounds mussels, scrubbed
• Crusty bread, for serving

Details

Servings 4
Cooking time 30mins
Adapted from foodandwine.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the merguez and cook over moderately high heat, breaking it up with a spoon, until the fat is rendered and the sausage is starting to brown, 3 minutes. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2 minutes. Add the wine, tomato, lime juice, chile and cilantro stems and cook until the wine is slightly reduced, 2 minutes. Stir in the mussels, cover and steam until the mussels open, 7 to 10 minutes; discard any mussels that do not open. Stir in the chopped cilantro and the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Ladle the mussels and broth into bowls and serve with crusty bread.