Beyond the sea.... Mussels and Shrimp

Dear culinary adventurers! Happy Sunday. How was your weekend? I hope just as exciting and flavourful as mine. 

This weekend was really fun. From a tasting and demo afternoon at Clearwater and Harvest wines on Saturday, to a wonderful fresh lamb inspired cooking lesson in the evening with my favorite 12 year old Chef in training. Then tonight finishing off a well rounded food inspired weekend with a lovely paired tasting menu at Atlantica Hotel with Chef Louis Clavel and his culinary team to celebrate the launch of Natalie MacLean a local sommeliers second book: Unquenchable.  Absolutely delectable. 

This evening I am excited to share with you the recipes of Saturday's demo at Clearwater and the wonderful wine paired by Harvest Wines. My friends these recipes are simple and delicious.  The aromas from both dishes will have your tummy growling, lips smacking and I promise you will not be in the kitchen for no more than 10 minutes.

Recipe 1: Thai Mussels

2 lbs Mussels

1 Stock Lemon Grass

1 tsp oil (Red chilli oil if you have it!) I made mine fresh by just drying out red chillies for a few months, and then bottling them with some lovely oil)

1 tbsp Ginger

2 Curry Leaves or Kaffir Lime Leaves

¼ Cup Coconut Milk

Scrub and clean mussels ahead of time in cold water. Peel ginger and roughly chop. Peel off the first layer of the lemon grass stem and then cut into 3 even pieces. Then make a slit down the center of the stem. This will open up the flavours. Heat a large sauté pan on medium and add oil into the pan. Then add ginger, curry leaves and lemon grass. You want to cook the ginger and lemon grass for 2 minutes together and then when the pan is nice and hot add the cleaned mussels and coconut milk. Cover so that the mussels steam. When all the mussels are open (around 4 minutes) remove the mussels from the pot. Let the liquid at the bottom of the pan reduce for 1 minutes and then poor over mussels and enjoy. 

*If you do not have curry leaves do not fear... your mussels will still taste fantastic without this ingredient*

Pair With: Joel Gott, Chardonnay ( SOOOOOO wondeful! This is a beautiful unoaked chardonnay from Calfiornia. I have to say I am not a huge chardonnay fan and usually stray even farther away from unoaked than I do oaked when drinking it. My mind has been changed I fell in love over the weekend. It was beautiful, and I am head over heels for this wine. ) While writing this blog I have been looking up on unoaked chardonnay and came to this site which you may find fun and also might spark a new interest in the wine!

Recipe 2:  Shrimp In a pancetta garlic cream sauce on Crostini

100 Gr Pancetta sliced ¼ inch thick

2 Cloves Garlic

½ Onion

1tsp Olive oil

1 Pkg Coldwater Shrimp Defrosted or 1 lb fresh shrimp deveined and shelled Shrimp

¼ Cup White Wine

½ Cup Cream

Salt and Pepper

1 Baguette

Take 2 cloves garlic half a small onion, pancetta and dice really small.  Heat a pan with oil and add the garlic, onion and pancetta. Cook them for 3 min on medium heat until they are fully translucent, and the pancetta has started to crisp.  Add in your white wine. When it has evaporated 2/3 of the way add your shrimp to the pan and turn up to medium high heat. Cook shrimp until they begin to turn pink.  When shrimp have turned pink add the quarter cup of cream. Let this cook for 3 minutes, and until you are happy with the consistency of the sauce.

While you are cooking your shrimp heat your oven to 400F. Thinly slice your baguette on an angle and lay on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with olive oil and then toast until crisp in the oven.

Serve the shrimp hot onto crostini and eat right away. 

Pair with: Inniskillin Cab Franc 

 Ready, set go! I have 10 minutes on the clock... 

This week share, a recipe, a few ingredients, your kitchen aroma's.... this in turn will have you sharing in a smile. Guaranteed (a tried and tested theory)

Eat drink and enjoy!!!