Cook Like a Rock Star - Anne Burrell [21]
MISE EN PLACE
FOR THE AÏOLI
2 egg yolks
2 cloves garlic, smashed
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1½ tablespoons pimentón (smoked paprika)
Kosher salt
1½ cups peanut or other neutral-flavored oil
FOR THE MUSSELS
Extra virgin olive oil
6 to 8 cloves garlic, smashed
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 pounds mussels, debearded and rinsed
4 or 5 sprigs of fresh oregano, leaves coarsely chopped
3 bay leaves
1 bottle dry white wine
1 baguette, cut into 1-inch slices on the bias
3 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced on the bias
FOR THE AÏOLI
Put the egg yolks, garlic, vinegar, pimentón, and a sprinkle of salt in a food processor and purée until the mixture is homogeneous. Then, with the machine running, VERY slowly drizzle in some of the oil until the mixture is thick and smooth. When it starts to look like mayonnaise, the rest of the oil can be added in a thin, slow stream; season with salt. You want relatively thin aïoli here. If it’s too thick, add a few drops of water to thin it; or on the flip side, if it’s too thin, add more oil. TASTE for seasoning, adjust if needed, and refrigerate until ready to use.
FOR THE MUSSELS
1 Coat the bottom of a large pot (big enough to hold all the mussels) with olive oil. Add the garlic and red pepper and bring to medium-high heat; cook until the garlic is golden and very aromatic, 4 to 5 minutes.
2 Add the mussels, oregano, and bay leaves and stir to coat with the oil; add the wine and cover the pot. Steam the mussels for 5 to 6 minutes; if not all the shells are open, continue to cook them all a little longer. While the mussels are steaming, grill the bread.
3 Serve the mussels in bowls with lots of juice from the pot (as much as you like!). Generously drizzle each bowl with the aïoli, garnish with the scallions, and serve the toasted bread alongside.
Holy aïoli!
When it comes to cooking shellfish, the ones that don’t open are the freshest—continue to cook them until they give up!
When you buy mussels, or any shellfish for that matter, make sure you buy them in mesh bags—remember, these guys are alive and they need to breathe! They also need to stay cold, so don’t be afraid to ask your fishmonger for a bag of ice to toss in your shopping bag. Scrub the mussels well and refrigerate them until you’re ready to cook (but do not put them in a bowl of water!). If any shells are cracked or broken, toss them. The rule is: When in doubt, throw ’em out.
SERVES: 4 • TIME: ABOUT 1½ HOURS, MOSTLY UNATTENDED
My mom is a florist so I love flowers—especially big orange ones like zucchini blossoms! I make zucchini blossoms stuffed full of creamy ricotta cheese and then fry them until they’re golden and crispy. In my opinion, zucchini blossoms are nature’s perfect little packages. What’s better than a crispy, crunchy, cheesy flower? A crispy, crunchy, cheesy flower on a bread salad—a gorgeous mix of perfectly ripe tomatoes, basil, cucumber, red onion, and bread, which softens when it absorbs all the veggies’ wonderful juices.
MISE EN PLACE
FOR THE PANZANELLA
1¼ cups red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1½ teaspoons sugar
2 shots of Tabasco or other hot sauce
1 clove garlic, smashed
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
½ Kirby cucumber, sliced into ⅛-inch rounds
6 1-inch slices stale Italian bread, crusts removed, and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
6 fresh basil leaves, cut into a chiffonade
2 to 3 tablespoons big fat finishing oil
FOR THE BLOSSOMS
8 zucchini blossoms
1½ cups ricotta cheese, goat cheese, mozzarella, or any other good melting cheese
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano
1 bunch of fresh Italian parsley, leaves finely chopped
Kosher salt
Peanut or other neutral-flavored oil
1½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ to 1 cup dry white wine
FOR THE PANZANELLA
1 Combine the vinegar, 1 cup water, the salt, sugar, Tabasco, and garlic