Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders - Emeril Lagasse [54]
8. Serve the guests individual small bowls of hot broth and Caper Parsley Aïoli to accompany their choice of meats. Serve the pot-au-feu family style, passing the peppermill and coarse sea salt.
Serves 8
Note: If you are not cooking on a gas burner, you may need to move the pot slightly off the heating element for more control so that the broth simmers gently in one spot. Extremely gentle simmering is important in producing a clear broth.
CAPER PARSLEY AÏOLI
This simple condiment really makes this dish. Should you happen to have any left over, it would be right at home next to roasted or grilled meats, fish, or veggies. Or try it with your favorite fried seafood in place of tartar sauce.
2 eggs
4 to 5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 anchovy fillet
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1½ cups vegetable oil
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley leaves
1½ tablespoons drained nonpareil or regular capers
Add the eggs, garlic, mustard, salt, pepper, and anchovy fillet to a food processor and puree. Add the lemon juice and puree to combine. With the machine still running, add the oils in a slow, steady stream and process until the mixture has formed a thick emulsion. Add the parsley and pulse to combine. Transfer the aïoli to a small nonreactive bowl and stir in the capers. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 week.
Generous 2 cups
STEAMED MUSSELS WITH TOASTED ISRAELI COUSCOUS
The addition of Israeli couscous elevates this simple mussel dish to something unique. Israeli couscous is made from wheat pasta and is quite a bit larger than the traditional variety of couscous. This dish could also be made with fregola, a pasta from Sardinia that is made in a similar fashion but is toasted and has more of an irregular shape. Should you decide to use fregola, the cooking time will vary and you will likely need more cooking liquid to achieve an al dente texture.
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tablespoon minced garlic
¼ cup minced shallot
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
11/3 cups Israeli couscous
1¾ cups water
1¼ cups white wine
2 tablespoons Pernod
1 cup peeled, seeded, and diced tomato
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
4 pounds mussels, scrubbed well and debearded
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 teaspoons thinly sliced fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1. Heat the oil in a 6-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the garlic, shallot, salt, and crushed red pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add the couscous and cook, stirring, until toasted, about 2 minutes. Pour in the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue to cook at a simmer until the couscous is al dente, about 8 minutes.
2. Uncover the pot and add the wine, Pernod, tomato, butter, lemon zest, and mussels. Cover, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook until all the mussels have opened, 6 to 8 minutes. (Discard any unopened mussels.) Remove the pan from the heat, then stir in the parsley, basil, and tarragon.
3. Serve in large, shallow bowls, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil.
4 servings
BOUILLABAISSE
Bouillabaisse is a Provençal fish soup that, according to local lore, was once made in big cauldrons on the beaches of Provence by local fishermen and fishmongers. They used the fish that was least likely to sell at market to make this soup, and they flavored it with dried herbs and served it with chunks of fresh peasant bread. This dish has come a long way since then and