Moules et Frites

Or mussels and fries...this recipe should serve 4 but 3 of us polished them off. In fact, I think my daughter probably could have eaten them ALL herself!

4 lbs mussels
4 slices bacon
1/4 - 1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 red pepper, diced
2 tsps garlic, minced
1 cup white wine
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp tomato paste
pinch cayenne
pinch black pepper
parsley and/or basil 

Fries, homemade or frozen

Start by cooking the bacon until crisp, reserve 1 tbsp of bacon fat. Chop or crumble the bacon and set aside.

Rinse the mussels with cold water.

Prepare your fries to be ready to eat in about 10 minutes!

In a large pot cook onion and red pepper in 1 tbsp bacon fat until soft then add the garlic.  Cook 1 minute. Add wine and bay leaf and heat until liquid is reduced by about half. 
Next add the tomato paste, cayenne and black pepper.

Add the live mussels to the pot (my husband does the deed!)

Cover the pot and cook about 5 minutes. The mussels should all open.  Discard any that stay closed.

Serve your mussels sprinkled with bacon, parsley and basil...

alongside the fries. (Yes these were frozen fries)

 Adapted from http://onlyanapron.com/wine-bacon-steamed-mussels/

You might also like:
http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/07/mussels-with-garlic-butter.html