Blue Sky Recipes (continued)
Mussels Steamed in Verjus with Maple-Smoked Bacon and Sweet 100 Tomatoes
Ingredients
• 20 smallest possible "Sweet 100" or other small cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 oz. slab bacon* cut into 1/2-inch-thick lardons
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 leeks (white parts only), julienned, washed well, drained
• 2 shallots, finely diced (about 1/4 cup)
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 90 (2 lbs.) closed mussels, bearded
• 1 1/2 cups verjus, or white wine
• 3/4 cup heavy cream, or as needed
• 1/2 cup Devonshire cream (from England), or 1 additional cup heavy cream
• 1 heaping tbsp. good-quality Dijon mustard
• 1 lemon
• Handful parsley leaves, julienned or roughly chopped
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Toss the tomatoes with the olive oil and roast, cut side down, on a sheet pan until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Do not overcook; set aside.
2. In a large sauté pan, sauté the bacon over medium heat until it begins to color, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the leeks, shallots and garlic, and cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Raise the heat to high, and add the mussels. Add verjus or wine and the roasted tomatoes. Cover (use foil if no cover) and cook until the mussels just open, stirring from time to time, about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon or a "spider," transfer the mussels to 6 individual bowls or a serving platter.
3. Add the cream, and reduce cooking juices until thickened. Add the mustard and a good squeeze of lemon. The sauce should have a silky texture and be thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. If too thick, add a bit more cream; if thin, cook to reduce. Remove the pan from the heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Add the parsley and the pepper, and pour the sauce all over the mussels. Serves 6.
* At Blue Sky, we use a bacon from New Hampshire: North Country Smokehouse (NCSmokehouse.com).
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