Mmmmmm......MUSSELS!

Bruschetta Style Mussels with Shrimp & Scallops

I love mussels...especially in the Spring and Summer when I am sitting on a patio and having a glass of wine. There are so many great recipes...but I truly love them best when there is butter and garlic in the recipe! If you think you don't like mussels....please try out this recipe...the flavors are bold and before you know it.....you will be picking up your bowl of broth and slurping it up! :) So if you don't want to slurp out of your bowl....make sure you have plenty of crusty bread to serve with this dish so you can soak up the broth with the bread. You can use any type of mussels that you like and if you cannot find fresh mussels....it's ok....just use good quality frozen ones.

Bruschetta Style Mussels
1 lb Mussels (washed and cleaned, discard any that are open)

1 lb Raw Shrimp

1 lb Scallops

2 tomatoes (diced)

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

2-3 tablespoons chopped garlic

1 stick butter
1-2 jalapenos (seeded and chopped) or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 cups fish stock (you can also use clam juice or vegetable stock)

1 lime

Saute garlic and jalapenos or pepper with butter until the butter melts. Add tomatoes and saute for 1-2 minutes, then add the basil and stock. Bring to a slight boil and add the mussels. Cover pan and steam the mussels for 3 minutes, until mussels are almost done. Add shrimp and scallops and cover again and steam for another 3-4 minutes or until most of the mussels are open and the shrimp and scallops are done. Go through and throw away any mussels that have not opened. Squeeze the lime juice all over the pan then use a slotted spoon to put the mussels, shrimp and scallops in either one large bowl or individual bowls then ladle the sauce over the seafood and serve with crusty bread.

I know a whole stick of butter seems like a lot but this is a big recipe which I served to 12 people as an appetizer. (so see splitting the stick of butter by 12 people is really not that bad!) You can modify the recipe to make a smaller batch.
I call this bruschetta mussels bc I use basically the same ingredients (basil, tomato, garlic) as I do to make my bruschetta.
The aroma of the tomatoes, garlic and basil cooking in the butter is amazing!
Once you add the mussels to the sauce, make sure to stir it up so that the mussels get some of the sauce inside the shells.

Adding the shrimp and scallops after the mussels have steamed for a few minutes ensures that the shrimp and scallops don't overcook.
I buy a loaf of French or Italian bread and brush each piece with a garlic butter that I make that also has crushed red pepper in it. I add shredded mozzarella or fresh mozzarella to some of the pieces.
Broil the pieces of bread in the oven until golden brown and the cheese has melted.

I love serving all the seafood in one big bowl and then giving my guests their own bowl to grab what they want.

Make sure to spoon a little of the sauce on the bread then top with a couple mussels and take one big bite.........then tell me you don't like mussels! :)

Bruschetta on a Stick

So here's another recipe from the wedding. I love Brushetta, and absolutely love these Bruschetta Skewers because they are so fresh tasting and if you're trying to avoid carbs...well here you go! Plus they look beautiful in any appetizer display!

Bruschetta Skewers:

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes

8oz Fresh Mozzarella Ciliegine (these are perfect for these skewers because the balls are about the same size as the tomatoes...they're so cute!) (if you can't find these smaller balls, just cut fresh mozzarella into small cubes)

3-4 cups fresh basil leaves

6-8 cloves of garlic (chopped)

2 cups extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup parmasean cheese

salt & pepper to taste

1/4 cup walnuts & 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (optional, I avoid nuts when I am making pesto for guests to avoid allergy issues)

long toothpicks (these are usually in the party supply area of most super stores or you can find them at specialty party supply stores)

In a food processor or blender, combine the basil leaves, garlic and olive oil and pulse until the mixture is well blended and the basil is chopped up, this pesto is supposed to be a bit more chunky so do not blend too much. Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse again a few times. Pour pesto into a bowl and stir well with a spoon. Taste the pesto to make sure you have enough salt in it as it will be seasoning the tomatoes and mozzarella. Once your pesto is ready, alternate the tomatoes and mozzarella on the skewers. (if you like black olives, you can also add these to the skewers as they go well with this combo but since olives are salty, make sure not to put as much salt in your pesto). Once your skewers are assembled, drizzle a generous amount of pesto all over the skewers. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. If you have pesto left over, you can freeze it, just make sure you pack it air-tight.

How amazing is this blue ceramic display piece? It's actually a garden stool that I found that matched the bride's wedding color! I love using bigger pieces that are not conventional! Start looking around your house for inspiration next time you want to throw a party!