Dirty Martini Mussels
Mussels are especially delicious with a martini sauce. This dish can be served as an appetizer or as a main dish with pasta.
Ingredients
- 1 cup flat leaf parsley, packed
- 3/4 cup pitted green olives or olives with pimentos, plus 3 tablespoons olive brine
- 3-4 cloves garlic, pasted or grated
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
- 2 small onions, chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup good-quality gin
- 1/4 cup dry vermouth
- 3 pounds medium mussels (about 4 dozen), scrubbed
- 3 tablespoons butter
- Warm, crusty bread, torn into chunks, for mopping
Preparation
Using a food processor, finely chop the parsley, olives, garlic and lemon zest. Pour in 4 tablespoons EVOO and the lemon juice and process into a pesto.
In a large pot or deep skillet with a tight-fitting lid, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO, two turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, 5-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir in the pesto. Add the gin and vermouth and cook until reduced, about 1 minute. Add the mussels; cover and steam until opened, 6-8 minutes; discard any unopened shells.
Add the butter to the mussels and shake the pan to melt it into the sauce. Serve with the bread for mopping.
