I am so excited to share this dish with you for a few reasons:
- I love mussels and am always looking for a new recipe to add to my rotation
- This recipe looks fancy pants because it has saffron in it
- BUT it’s really simple to make!
This is actually yet another recipe sent my way through the Cooking Light Diet plan. (That plan is on a roll. The menus are amazing!) They suggest serving it with an easy rice noodle mixture but if you’re feeling a little more carb-y, you could serve this with day old bread, over rice, or with pasta.
This sauce is amazing. I actually packaged up the leftover broth to use to make rice the next day. Why yes, I did love it THAT much.
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons whipping cream
- 1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded
So, saffron isn’t cheap. Getting a little bottle can run you like $15.00. But you use it really sparingly, a little goes a long way. You can leave it out, but the saffron flavor really is what makes this recipe awesome.
Measure out your 1/4 teaspoon saffron ahead of time. When you have roughly 1/4 teaspoon threads, take the threads and crush them between your fingers to break them up a bit. Set aside.
To make, scrub and debeard the mussels. (I have instructions on how to debeard mussels in my paella post.)
Once the mussels are cleaned, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. (One with ~2 inch sides that has a fitted lid would be ideal.) Add the onion to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the saffron and cook for another 15 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste, whipping cream, clam juice, and chicken stock.
Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
Add the mussels to the pan and cover. Cook for 5 minutes or until the mussels open.
Discard any unopened shells. (This is a minor miracle, but the mussels must have been as excited as I was for this dish. EVERY one of them opened! Woo hoo!)
Spoon the mussels and broth into a large bowl and serve.
Yup. That’s it. A snazzy dish in maybe 20 minutes! Wouldn’t this be a great date night meal or appetizer?
I love the color of the broth too, isn’t it pretty?
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons whipping cream
- 1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- Measure out your 1/4 teaspoon saffron ahead of time. When you have roughly 1/4 teaspoon threads, take the threads and crush them between your fingers to break them up a bit. Set aside.
- To make, scrub and debeard the mussels.
- Once the mussels are cleaned, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. (One with ~2 inch sides that has a fitted lid would be ideal.) Add the onion to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the saffron and cook for another 15 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste, whipping cream, clam juice, and chicken stock.
- Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
- Add the mussels to the pan and cover. Cook for 5 minutes or until the mussels open.
- Discard any unopened shells.
- Spoon the mussels and broth into a large bowl and serve.
What do you think?