Chorizo + Mussels = Happiness
I mean sausage is life: Italian. Breakfast. Brats. and especially….Chorizo.
It’s got that spicy deliciousness I look for in a nice sausage. And it just so happens to pair wonderfully with one of my favorite seafood…Mussels!
I love mussels because they’re always in a delicious sauce and if done properly, can melt right in your mouth with a meatiness you don’t typically get in a fish, let alone a shellfish.
Another amazing thing about mussels is…
They are the easiest thing EVER to prepare.
Seriously, scrub em and throw em in a pot and you are good to go!
Don’t believe me? Well see for yourself…
Now there are a million and one ways to have mussels and I’ll share some other variations at the end of this post, but for this one we’re using what I had at the time…
#QuarantineLife
Side Note: My local fish shop is still open and serving fresh delicious seafood every day. Might not be that way everywhere, but mussels are typically easy to come by.
Vic Trick: If not, use some frozen shrimp! It’ll be delicious, trust me.
First you’ll want to scrub the mussels to remove any barnacles or anything that may be covering them. Do this while rinsing under cold water so the mussels don’t die in the heat.
Remove the chorizo from its casing and break it up into pieces in a large stock pot over medium low heat. Add in 3 cloves of minced garlic and 1 sliced onion and cook until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
Add in 2 sliced bell peppers and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup dry white wine and cook for another 2 minutes, scraping up the crispy bits on the bottom of the pan.
Add in a 14.5oz can of diced tomatoes and bring it to a low boil, usually a medium to medium low heat.
Add the mussels, cover with a lid, and cook until all the mussels have fully opened, about 5-10 minutes.
You can eat as is, over rice, over pasta, or like I did…with a big ole piece of garlic bread.
And that’s it. You’re done!
Like I mentioned earlier, there are a TON of different variations here, but with mostly the same process. Here are some others you can try:
- White wine & Garlic (same as above but without chorizo, peppers, and tomatoes)
- White wine & fennel
- Fra diavolo – same process, but add some spice to the tomato broth
These are just a few ideas, but play around with what you think would be good!
Vic’s Tricks To…Chorizo Mussels
Ingredients
- 1 chorizo sausage link
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 bell peppers, any color, sliced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1-1 1/2 lbs mussels
- Pasta, bread, rice optional
Instructions
- Scrub the mussels to remove any barnacles or anything that may be covering them. Do this while rinsing under cold water so the mussels don’t die in the heat.
- Remove the chorizo from its casing and break it up into pieces in a large stock pot over medium low heat. Add in garlic and onion and cook until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add in peppers and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add white wine and cook for another 2 minutes, scraping up the crispy bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Add in diced tomatoes and bring it to a low boil, usually a medium to medium low. Add the mussels, cover with a lid, and cook until all the mussels have fully opened, about 5-10 minutes.
- Serve with bread, rice, or pasta or eat as is! AND ENJOY!!!
Happy Eating!
