Dinner: Mussels with Cava and Roasted Carrot Romesco

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large carrot, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 orange bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 scallions—white and light green parts sliced, dark green parts reserved
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped salted roasted almonds
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1/8 teaspoon pimentón de la Vera
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1/4 cup dry Cava
1/2 cup bottled clam juice
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Toasted country bread brushed with olive oil, for serving

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 °. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the carrot and bell pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in the sliced scallions and tomatoes. Roast the vegetables in the oven until tender, about 10 minutes.
Scrape the vegetables into a food processor. Add the almonds, vinegar and pimentón and puree until smooth. Season the romesco with salt.
In an enameled cast-iron casserole, melt the butter. Thinly slice the reserved scallion greens and add to the casserole. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 1 minute. Add the mussels, Cava, clam juice, cream and 1/2 cup of the carrot romesco and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook until the mussels open, about 3 minutes. Discard any that don’t open. Season with salt and stir in the parsley. Serve the mussels with the toasts and the remaining romesco.

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