Mussels with Garlic

Nothing says summer like a mess of mussels and corn on the cob! Victoria Day weekend in Canada is the start of summer, but this year will be different because of the Covid19 pandemic travel restrictions. We'll just have to find summer pleasures where we can, like in this plate of mussels!

Ingredients:

2 lbs mussels

1 tbsp of olive oil or bacon fat

1/2 red onion, diced

1/2 red pepper, diced

2 tsps minced garlic

1 cup red wine

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp tomato paste

pinch of cayenne 

pinch of black pepper

fresh parsley

Rinse the mussels in cold water and set aside. Heat the olive oil or bacon fat in a large pot. Add the onion and red pepper and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Next add the wine and bay leaf and cook until the liquid is reduce by about half. Add the tomato paste, cayenne and black pepper.

Then add the mussels to the pot, stir, cover and cook 5 minutes. That's all it takes for the mussels to cook and open. If you have any that are still closed discard those ones.

Serve sprinkled with fresh parsley.

That's summer right there!