Recipe: Ouzo Mussels with Feta

Recipe Source: Botascos, Jim.  The New Greek Cuisine.  Broadway Books, New York, 2006 pp. 184-5

Mmm.... shellfish.  I love them.  It took me a long time to work up the courage to make them myself, though, but now that I have I seriously regret having been such a chicken for so long.  They're such a tasty treat!  I made these for dinner one recent night, and my only real regret about them was not having made enough bread to soak up the sauce! 

I made a few changes, although they're kind of minor.  First of all, I did not count out the mussels.  If I had, I would have paid a small fortune to make this dish.  Instead, I just bought the two-pound sack-o-mussels.  I used Lemony Vegetable Broth instead of clam broth, because I had it on hand and because it's significantly less expensive.  I couldn't find cinnamon basil and so used regular, and I increased both the garlic and the tomatoes (tomatoes being fresh from the garden and for free.) 

Ouzo Mussels with Feta (serves 2 - 4; approx. $3.16/serving)

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 garlic cloves, sliced

1 generous pinch cayenne pepper

5 tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup ouzo

2 cups Lemony Vegetable Broth

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 lb mussels, scrubbed and debearded

1/2 cup diced feta

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Equipment:

• Large saute pan
• Large, shallow, oven-proof serving dish (I used the bottom half of a tagine.)

1. Preheat your broiler.  
2. Heat the oil in the saute pan.
3. Add the garlic.  Cook 2 minutes.
4. Add the cayenne and stir to blend.
5. Add the tomatoes.  Cook 1 minute. 
6. Add the ouzo and boil 2 minutes.
7. Add the broth, half the basil and the mussels.  
8. Cover and steam 5 minutes.  Discard any mussels that have not opened.   
9. Transfer the mussels to the serving dish.
10. Add half the feta to the sauce in the pan, along with the salt and pepper and the remaining basil.   Heat briefly, then pour over the mussels.
11. Sprinkle the remaining feta over the mussels, then broil 2 minutes.
12. Serve immediately.

Comments

[Joanne]

"I seriously regret having been such a chicken for so long" - I love the pun that can be made out of this. (Get it - chicken). Maybe it's just too early in the morning haha.

I still have not really gotten into shellfish yet but hopefully sometime in the near future. I do love feta though in any situation. Looks great!