Steamed Mussels with Tarragon

By Chef_Frytz

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, cored
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 pounds mussels, rinsed and debearded
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sambal oelek or other Asian chile sauce
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped tarragon, plus leaves for garnish
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• Crusty bread, for serving

Preparation

Step 1

1) In a large saucepan of boiling water, blanch the tomatoes until the skins just start to wrinkle, about 45 seconds. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool. Peel the tomatoes and coarsely chop them.

2) In the large saucepan, heat the 1/4 cup of olive oil until shimmering. Add the shallots and cook over moderate heat until softened, 4 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil, then stir in the mussels. Cover and steam until they just start to open. Stir in the tomatoes, cover and cook, shaking the pan, until the mussels are open, 3 to 5 minutes longer; discard any that don’t open. Stir in the vinegar, sambal oelek and chopped tarragon and season with salt and pepper. Pile the mussels and tomatoes in a large serving bowl and pour in the juices from the pan. Drizzle with olive oil, garnish with tarragon leaves and serve with crusty bread.

SUGGESTED PAIRING
Minerally Sauvignon Blanc is a nice accompaniment to these vibrant mussels.