with Green Olives & Fried Almonds
HANDS-ON TIME
25 MIN
TOTAL TIME
30 MIN
Serves 4
When it comes to mussels, I’m much more interested in an intensely delicious cooking broth than I am in the mollusks themselves. But Jason is a mussels maniac. So I created this recipe to please both of us. The fried almonds not only add a ton of flavor, they also let me sprinkle on a little crunch.
Working over a bowl, grate the cut side of the tomato halves on the large holes of a box grater until only the skin remains in your hand; discard the skins.
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring, until golden and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain, then finely chop.
Add the onion and garlic to the pot and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is just softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the grated tomatoes, olives, wine, butter, and red pepper flakes and bring to a boil. Stir in the mussels, cover, and cook over high heat, shaking the pan a couple of times, until the mussels open, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mussels to a large serving platter and pour everything from the pot on top. Sprinkle with parsley and the chopped fried almonds. Serve with crusty bread.
TIP Cleaning mussels is easier than you think. Invert a small plate into the bottom of a big bowl (one that’ll fit in your fridge) and put the mussels on top, then fill the bowl with water. Add a huge pinch—I’m talking a 5-finger pinch—each of kosher salt and fine cornmeal, and then refrigerate them for 30 minutes. The salt and cornmeal encourage the mussels to spit out excess debris and the plate allows the debris to fall beneath the mussels. After 30 minutes, use a paring knife to scrape off any barnacles and to help pull out the beard.