Mussels and Sausage in White Wine, Garlic and Parsley

Combining fish and meat is a passion of mine.  remind me to tell you all about my monkfish braised in veal glace with caramelized cauliflower and golden hunza raisins.  this particular recipe is great for a quick lunch, an impressive appetizer or even an entree when accompanied by chips fried in beef tallow.  Oh my goodness, the chips!  

Mussels are a nutrient dense food that can feed you and your family nicely on a budget, all the while feeling rather fancy.  In my house we call it cheap and cheerful!

Mussels and Sausage in White Wine, Garlic and Parsley.

Ingredients:
1 lb. of fresh, local mussels (washed with beards removed)
4 thick slices dry Italian sausage (or salami ) cut into quarters
2 large cloves of garlic sliced thinly
1/2 bunch fresh parsley chopped roughly
1/2 cup white wine (i used sauvignon blanc)
4 TBS fresh butter

1. place saute pan on a medium to high flame.
2. add 1 TBS butter to pan and melt.
3. when butter has stopped foaming, add sausage and saute for 2 minutes
4. add 1/2 the sliced garlic and saute for 2 more minutes.
5. add mussels and saute, getting the mussels coated in butter, salami and garlic (another 2 minutes or so).
6. when the mussels open, add the 1/2 cup of wine and cover for 3 minutes.
7. uncover and check to see if all the mussels have opened (when a mussels holds tight and does not give up its shell it is not fit to eat. please do not pry it open).
8. remove mussels from the pan with tongs and place in a clean bowl.
9. to the boiling liquid, add the rest of the garlic, 3 TBS of butter and the chopped parsley and allow to reduce for a minute or two.
10. put the mussels back into the liquid to incorporate all flavors.
11. again, using tongs put the mussels back in the bowl, pour the broth with sausage over the top and serve.

enjoy with a glass of the same wine you cooked the mussels in!

Variations:
1. use bacon lardons (or chorizo or pancetta or guanciale) instead of sausage.
- saute bacon lardons in medium - high pan to render fat.
- remove the cooked bacon and hold.
- add garlic to the bacon fat, then the mussels, saute and hit with wine.
- follow the above instructions but put the bacon back in when the mussels go back in before serving.

2. use mixed fresh herbs instead of just parsley.
- roughly chop parsley, cilantro, basil and chives

3. use coconut milk instead of butter and wine
- saute the sausage, garlic and mussels in coconut oil.
- add 1 cup coconut milk and a few thin slices of fresh ginger.
- throw in a kefir lime leaf for good measure (available at most Asian markets).
- add chopped cilantro and whole leaves of purple thai basil (if available) at the end.

Bone Marrow Omelette with Tarragon & Raw Sheep's Milk cheese

Sometimes, creating a great meal is as easy as putting your favorite ingredients together.  It doesn't always work out but when it does, my goodness! The return on time invested is worth it's weight in gold.  That is exactly what happened with this divine dish I have been happily making for my family. Breakfast, lunch or dinner, this one is a hands down winner!

The best part about this recipe is that it was inspired while roasting bones for making beef broth, something I do every few weeks.  The marrow yield from my bones was extraordinary and since we could not eat all that marrow at once we stored it for later use.  The next day I got to thinking about how amazing that creamy, silky, delicious marrow would taste in an omelette, my idea of the perfect food - nutrient dense, texturally seductive and delicious.  Here is the end result of my successful experiment. I think you will really enjoy all of these favors, tucked neatly and sweetly into an envelope of savory pastured egg.

Bone Marrow Omelette with Tarragon & Raw Sheep's Milk cheese
2 fresh pastured eggs
2 TBS fresh Beef Bone Marrow (if you have had the marrow in the fridge, take it out to room temp 1/2 hour before if you can)
1 TBS fresh (or dried) tarragon, roughly chopped or crushed
1 TBS crumbles or 3 small slices of raw sheep's milk cheese (i LOVE feta in this)
pinch course grey sea salt
grass fed ghee for cooking




1. preheat a skillet on medium high heat & add 1 large tsp of ghee (i use an enameled cast iron skillet for egg making)
2. beat 2 pastured eggs, add tarragon and a pinch of sea salt
3. when pan is hot enough, it will be slightly smoking, add egg mixture
4. tip pan and use spatula to distribute eggs evenly and quickly.
5. add marrow & cheese, fold omelette over and slide onto plate.
6. serve alone or with accompaniment of your choice. we love roasted root vegetables in winter or a salad of greenhouse sprouts dressed with olive oil, meyer lemon juice, salt & pepper

enjoy!