Mussels with Chorizo and Red Peppers

Last night, our gourmet group got together. We are a group of five couples, all of whom love to cook and entertain. The host and hostess research and set the menu and assign each couple one recipe to make. The host couple always provides the main course and wine to suit the meal. Our assigned recipe was this wonderful mussel appetizer dish. From an issue of Coastal Living, my hostess found this recipe while browsing through the magazine on a plane flying home from Hilton Head Island earlier this month. Rarely has an appetizer been so popular with every member of our group! I could have it again for dinner tonight :)

Chorizo sausage, julienned red peppers, onions and garlic with white wine was prepared late in the afternoon and brought to our host couple's home:


All I had to do to finish the recipe was bring the above to a boil and add the lovely black mussels and then sprinkle with chopped cilantro:


Steaming hot and plated, several lime wedges were added as garnish afterward:


Declared a keeper! Since there were 10 of us, I used 6 pounds of mussels and doubled or tripled the sausage and vegetables. I used one whole bottle of white wine. Also, since I'm not a huge fan of cilantro I used half parsley and half cilantro.

Mussels with Red Pepper and Chorizo
http://www.coastalliving.com/food/dinner-in-a-breeze/mussels-red-pepper-chorizo-00400000007989/

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (3½-ounce) cured chorizo sausage, casing removed, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, cut into thin, short strips
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1½ cups dry white wine
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon salt
2 pounds fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Lime wedges

Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add chorizo, and saute 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Add bell pepper, onion, and garlic, and saute 5 minutes. Add wine, paprika, and salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Increase heat to medium-high, and add mussels. Cover and cook 2-3 minutes or until mussels open. Discard any that do not open. Stir in cilantro. Spoon mussels, sauce, and vegetables into 4 shallow serving bowls. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

Makes 4 servings.