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FOOD

Cook Like a Real Chef: Mussels from Finn McCool's Ale House

By PW Staff

Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Nov. 24, 2010

In the mood for mussels? How about chorizo? Finn McCool's Ale House Executive Chef Patrick McBrayer shares his dish:

Ingredients:

3/4 quart mussels

2/3 cup of smoked chorizo sausage

1 Tbl garlic sliced thin

2 Tbl shallot sliced thin

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup Yuengling Lager

1/2 cup tomatoes (diced)

1 heaping Tbl butter

1 Tbl parsley (chopped)

Salt

Sliced Baguette buttered and grilled

Directions:

Wash mussels in ice water and salt. Using a paper towel pull the beards off the shell. Let sit in perfferated pan until ready to saute. Once all MEP is prepped place near pan so you have easy access to all ingredients, this is a very quick procedure. Once pan is hot, add chorizo, then garlic and shallots. Immediatly add the mussels and the booze. Throw in the tomato then cover immediately. Then lower heat to medium high. Wait about 45 seconds to a minute and check. Make sure there is broth still in the pan, if not your flame is too high. Once all mussels are open, smell them. It should smell like the ocean. If you get a bad whiff you'll know it. If you do, don't throw them away but smell each one, you will find the bad seed. Last, finish with butter and parsley. And have some bread on the side for all that broth at the bottom of the bowl. Season with salt if needed, and taste the broth before you plate. The alcohol should be cooked out and it should be a light broth with a good amount of salt. Be careful when seasoning; mussels tend to carry salt in their shells. Good luck and enjoy. Serves 2, 1 if you love mussels as much as I do.