Mussels in Spicy Tomato and Garlic Broth

Happy Sunday folks and Happy Spring too!! I hope y’all are having an amazing weekend! I know there a lot of people like me, who get all fancy with their Sunday dinners, taking the extra time to whip up a mean batch of meatballs, or chili or whatever you desire that you don’t have the luxury of cooking on a weeknight.  As much as I enjoy preparing fancy dinner, I tend to keep it less messy and simple such as these mussels in tomato garlic broth. So fancy, yet so easy to prepare.

Note: If you are using clean farmed mussels, you won’t have to scrub them. If you are not using clean farmed mussels, scrub them with a stiff brush under cold running water. Scrape off any barnacles using the shell of another mussel and pull off the “beard” from each one. Discard any mussels with broken shells or any that do not close when tapped.

Ingredients
1  Teaspoon Olive Oil
1 Onion, finely chopped
2-3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/4 Cup, Dry White Wine, optional
2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, chopped
2 cups Crushed Tomatoes, 1 – 16 oz can
1/4 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
1/4 Teaspoon Red-Pepper Flakes
2 Pounds Mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1/4 Teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
Salt to taste

Process

1. In a shallow pan, heat oil on medium -low heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions become translucent.
2. Add wine and stir in the parsley, tomatoes, thyme, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add a cup of water and bring to boil.
4. Add the mussels to the pot. Cover the pan with a lid and bring to a boil. Cook for about 6-8 minutes, until all the mussels have opened. Discard any mussels that do not open.
5. Transfer the mussels to a serving bowl. Spoon the broth over the mussels and sprinkle with parsley.
6. Serve with toasted baguette or garlic bread.

Enjoy!