Mussels ala Escargot

Description:

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh mussels in the shell
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine
3 cloves minced garlic
2 teaspoons fresh thyme minced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/3 stick of unsalted butter
3 tablespoons of corn flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Thoroughly rinse the mussels and remove any beards if present, then set aside.

In a preheated pan on high heat, add the chicken broth and wine.  When broth begins to boil, add the mussels.  As soon as the shells begin to open, immediately remove them and place in refrigerator to stop them from cooking.  Discard any mussels that do not open within a few minutes. Reserve the broth.

With the heat still on high, add the butter, garlic and thyme to the pan and cook until the garlic is softened (about 3-5 minutes).  Then add back the reserved broth and lemon juice and cook until reduced in half.

Pour the garlic-butter sauce in a shallow baking dish. The garlic-butter mix should cover the bottom on the baking dish with a depth of 1/4 inch.

In a small bowl, mix the corn flour, garlic powder, paprika, and 1/2 each of the teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper.

Gently remove the mussels from the shells, and thoroughly coat each mussel with the corn flour mix.

In a preheated pan on high heat, add the olive oil and brown each mussel for about 30 seconds each side, then remove and set aside.

Set the crispy mussels in the sauce coated baking dish, and finish in oven until the garlic-butter sauce begins to brown (about 8-10 minutes).

Recommend serving in the baking dish with slices of toasted sourdough baguette.