Spicy Steamed Mussels and Clams
This impressive appetizer doesn't disappoint and doesn't take much time to make. Usually, you'll have all the ingredients you need, except for the mussels and clams, of course.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs mussels and clams whole
- 2 Tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup parsley fresh
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper
- ¼ cup tomato or marinara sauce
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 baguette
Instructions
- Soak mussels and clams in cold water for about 10 minutes or so to clean and rinse off any salt.
- Finely chop garlic and parsley.
- Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven or stock pot. When hot, add garlic and parsley, then crushed red pepper. Sauté 1-2 minutes. Add mussels and clams, stir to coat with oil mixture. Add wine and tomato sauce.
- Cover and let steam until shellfish have opened, about 6-8 minutes or so. If there are any mussels or clams that did not open, throw them out.
- Slice baguette and broil slices for a few minutes on each side so they are toasted.
- Serve the mussels and clams in a large bowl. Guests can put a slice of the toasted bread on the bottom of their bowl then spoon the mussels on top. The juice from the mussels makes a lovely sauce for the bread.
Notes
Cleaning mussels
For fresh mussels and clams, check to make sure all they are all closed. If any are open, tap them with a fingernail, or lightly against a counter. If they do not close, discard them. Open mussels or clams are a sign that they are either dead or dying and they should be tossed out.
Soak the closed shellfish in cold water. If the shells are dirty, you can scrub the shells with a vegetable brush.
Remove and discard the beard, the stringy fibers that come through the shell. Just grab the beard and pull toward where the shells connect.