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Southside Weiss Pan Steamed Mussels with Roasted Lemon and Toasted Baguette

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Southside Weiss Pan Steamed Mussels with Roasted Lemon and Toasted Baguette – Southside Weiss is from Charlotte’s own Olde Mecklenburg Brewery

Southside Weiss Pan Steamed Mussels with Roasted Lemon and Toasted Baguette

 

It wasn’t my intent to post beer steamed mussels today.   I actually had other plans.

 

Southside Weiss Pan Steamed Mussels with Roasted Lemon and Toasted Baguette

 

And I have a confession.  NC Craft Beer Month totally came at me unexpectedly even though I signed up to for not one, but two cooking with beer events at local restaurants?  Seriously?  How did I get so far behind?

 

Southside Weiss Pan Steamed Mussels with Roasted Lemon and Toasted Baguette

 

The only excuse I have is that I signed up for these day drinking and cooking educational events months in advance, so things get lost and confused.  I know that must come as a great surprise.

 

Southside Weiss Pan Steamed Mussels with Roasted Lemon and Toasted Baguette

 

So this weekend I went to a really cool cooking with beer event at Upstream here in Charlotte.  It’s the second event I attended at Upstream and it’s totally fun and really full of food and booze educational. Lisa and I went to a similar event at the Mimosa Grill last weekend.  There may or may not have been beer involved at 11:00 am.

I know we’ve done mussels in beer on this here website before, but this one is different with some of the ingredients and they are steamed in a skillet rather than covered in a Dutch oven.

 

Southside Weiss Pan Steamed Mussels with Roasted Lemon and Toasted Baguette

 

So let’s talk mussels.  The first thing you have to do is remove the weird hairy beards.  Look up there.  It’s that nasty looking hairy creepy business.  It has to go.

 

Southside Weiss Pan Steamed Mussels with Roasted Lemon and Toasted Baguette

 

I want that in my dish – said no one ever.  Now, I’m keeping things real here.  I do not like to touch things that are disgusting, so I either wear gloves or use a paper towel and grab that thing and pull it out. It’s easy.  Just unpleasant.  Sorry.

 

Southside Weiss Pan Steamed Mussels with Roasted Lemon and Toasted Baguette

 

Now, Ina told me about this part.  Put some cold water and baking soda in a large bowl.  Full disclosure: I do not measure this business.  I dump a bunch of baking soda into a bowl and add water.  I then swirl it around and toss in the mussels.  Ina tells me that it will make any residual sand fall out.  Just be sure to scoop out the mussels with a mesh device and don’t pour everything into a colander because all that sand you just removed will be poured back on top.

 

Southside Weiss Pan Steamed Mussels with Roasted Lemon and Toasted Baguette

 

I’m pretty sure you know how to char a baguette.

 

Southside Weiss Pan Steamed Mussels with Roasted Lemon and Toasted Baguette

 

If you’re new to this game, there are instructions in the recipe below.

 

Southside Weiss Pan Steamed Mussels with Roasted Lemon and Toasted Baguette

 

Trust me.  YOU CAN DO IT!  It’s supposed to be charred, so that dark color is not only ok, but encouraged!  You may or may not have to deal with your smoke detector.  I’m not admitting anything. I’m just sayn’ you’ve been warned.

 

Southside Weiss Pan Steamed Mussels with Roasted Lemon and Toasted Baguette

 

Have a fantastic week, y’all!

 

Mussels Steamed in Beer
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Southside Weiss Pan Steamed Mussels with Roasted Lemon and Toasted Baguette

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds mussels
  • 1/4 cup baking soda
  • Water
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 lemons sliced 1/2 inch thick
  • 2 shallots minced
  • 6-8 garlic cloves minced
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup Olde Mecklenburg Brewery Southside Weiss a Belgian would be a good substitute
  • Thyme fresh, several sprigs
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • Parsley for finishing and garnish

For the Toasted Baguette

  • Baguette 6-8 slices about 1/2 inch thick
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Clean (scrub with a brush) and remove beards from mussels (Use a paper towel or fingers to grab the bread and pull off)
  2. Add baking soda to a bowl of enough water to cover mussels, stir to dissolve
  3. Add mussels to baking soda/water mixture, and set aside for 30 minutes - according to the interwebs this will remove any sand from the mussels
  4. Using a spider or slotted spoon, scoop mussels from baking soda mixture to a colander - don't pour the mussels into the colander becasue the sand you just removed will come with them
  5. Heat a skillet or grill pan until hot
  6. While skillet is heating, drizzle sliced baguette with olive oil and sprinkle sightly with salt and pepper
  7. Char bread on each side in the skillet or grill pan, a couple of minutes on each side, or until color desired
  8. Set aside and/or keep warm in oven on low while the mussels cook
  9. Using a 12 inch skillet, heat olive and canola oils on medium heat
  10. Add lemons, and roast a couple of minutes on each side
  11. Add shallots and cook until almost translucent, 1-2 minutes
  12. Add garlic and cook until both garlic and shallots are soft, about another minute
  13. Transfer mussels to the pan with the garlic and shallots
  14. Cook while stirring 1-2 minutes
  15. Add beer, butter, and thyme
  16. Cook until all open, stirring frequently, rotating from the top to the bottom
  17. Finish with chopped parsley and another drizzle of lemon, if desired

Adapted from Upstream

 

Mussels Steamed in Beer

Mother Earth Weeping Willow Wit Steamed Mussels

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It’s official.  Cam, Luke, Greg, and the rest of the Cardiac Cats are totally trying to kill me.  That game, y’all!  I just can’t take it!  It was a super stressful second half, but thankfully we’re moving on to the next game and we’ll be hosting the Angry Birds here again in Panther Nation for another home field advantage.  I hope I survive.

 

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Because it’s Monday.  Because I had several cardiac arrests, a blood pressure emergency, and a head explosion yesterday, we’re starting out this week with beer.

As if I need a reason.

 

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We actually have beer-steamed mussels a lot.  They’re cheap, fast, easy and delicious.  Seriously, a pound at the Publix is usually only about $4.50.

 

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Add beer?  Yes, please!  Mother Earth Brewing is located in Kinston, North Carolina and makes some great craft beer.  How can you not love a brewery that brews beer with sustainable practices and whose motto is Peace, Love & Beer?!?!  I know, right?  These are clearly my kind of people.

 

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Any-hoo, I normally like to include the actual beer bottle or can in some in the photos with food I cook with the beer, but I didn’t this time because this was dinner and no one wants to eat cold and grainy mussels. Bottom line?  The Weeping Willow Wit bottle had already made it to the recycling bin and I wasn’t going back to get it or dinner would be cold.  At least I think Mother Earth Brewing would be proud that I recycled their bottle. 🙂

 

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Any-hoo again.  I tend to get distracted and digress.  These mussels are garlicky and delicious with the floral notes from the Belgian-style Weeping Willow Wit.  If you don’t have Mother Earth where you are, just use your favorite Belgian – a tripel would be awesome.

 

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You could serve them as an appetizer, toss them over pasta with some parmesan (which is what we did and don’t judge me for mixing cheese and fish – I give it an A-OK if it’s parm and pasta is involved), or just hoard them all to yourself with a big piece of crusty bread.

 

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Until next time friends.  In the words of the cool peeps at Mother Earth Brewing, I wish you Peace, Love & Beer.

 

I also wish you a $700 Amazon gift card, so don’t forget to enter the giveaway!!!! (CLOSED)

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Mother Earth Weeping Willow Wit Steamed Mussels

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 8 cloves garlic roughly chopped
  • 1 12 ounce bottle Mother Earth Weeping Willow Wit Belgian-Style Wit Beer
  • 1.5 pounds mussels
  • 1/4 cup chopped basil for garnish optional
  • 1/2 pound angel hair pasta prepared and optional
  • Parmesan to taste, optional

Instructions

  1. Combine 1/4 cup flour with a large bowl of water - enough to cover mussels by a couple of inches
  2. Add mussels and soak for 20 - 30 minutes
  3. Scoop mussels out of flour water with a slotted spoon and transfer to a colander, discard flour water
  4. Scrub mussels and remove the weird hairy beard things by using a towel to grab and pull it off, discard any that don't stay closed
  5. Melt butter and olive oil in a Dutch oven on medium heat, add garlic, and cook until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes
  6. Transfer mussels from bowl to Dutch oven
  7. Add beer, cover, and cook on medium low until mussels open, 8-10 minutes, discard any that don't open
  8. Serve over pasta garnished with parmesan and basil if using

Mother Earth Weeping Willow Wit Steamed Mussels

Green Bean Mushroom Almondine

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16PM

 

How’s everyone’s week going?  It’s been busy over here.  And the weather is the absolute pits!  I haven’t seen the sun since Saturday!  These are some of the reasons why we needed something fast and easy today.  I’m tired!

 

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Now, I am well aware that green beans are not exactly sexy.  In fact, green beans are probably as far opposite of sexy as you can get.  But when life gets in the way of spending hours in the kitchen on a weeknight after working all day and you don’t have much energy left for creating sexy food, green beans are like a beacon in the dark guiding you to safety.

That was some kind of run on sentence.  You are impressed, no?

 

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Now, just because green beans aren’t sexy doesn’t mean they can’t be classy.  This is a recipe I hijacked from my mom (hi mom!) and added some almonds to so I could give it a fancy pants name like Green Bean Mushroom Almondine.  You dig?

 

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Take it easy and have a fantastic weekend, y’all!

 

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Green Bean Mushroom Almondine

Ingredients

  • 1 pound green beans rinsed and ends trimmed
  • 8 ounces mushrooms
  • 3-4 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Melt butter and olive oil over medium heat
  2. Add mushrooms and cook until soft, stirring often
  3. When mushrooms are soft, add garlic, and cook another 2 minutes, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn
  4. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil
  5. Prepare a separate bowl of ice and water
  6. Add beans to boiling water for 3 minutes
  7. Remove with a spider or slotted spoon and transfer to the ice bath to stop the cooking and keep the pretty bright green color
  8. Toast almonds - I use a frying pan because if I do it in the oven I'll forget and burn them - I toast them on medium heat for about 3 minutes, them remove the pan from the heat and let them toast a minute or two longer in the hot pan
  9. Arrange beans on a serving dish, top with garlic and mushrooms then add toasted almonds, season and garnish with salt and cracked pepper

Stuffed Leg of Lamb – Pinot Noir Soaked Fig and Dates with Gorgonzola and Pistachios

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I highly recommend that you ask the butcher to butterfly your lamb for you.  I speak from experience here.

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I tried to figure it out, consulted Google, and watched a video.  No luck.  Chris had to do it.

 

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He doesn’t mind though.  It makes him feel all cave-manly to cut meat and wield a knife.

Speaking of meat – it never looks as good in pictures as it does in real life.  At least not in my pictures.  I’m not going to burden you with ugly meat pictures with unappetizing juices leaking out. I’m just going to tell you to make this dang roast.  It’s totally awesome.

You don’t care for lamb, you say?  Well, big whoop?  It’s all about this booze-soaked fig and date stuffing with Gorgonzola and Pistachios anyway.  Don’t get me wrong – it’s fantastic with the lamb, but it would be good in just about any other kind of meat you like.  I think it would be awesome in pork chops or a pork loin too.

If I were going to stuff this into a pork chop, I would probably just cut a pocket and jam it in there. For a pork loin, I’m thinking maybe the way to go would be to butterfly it have Chris butterfly it, pound it out flat, stuff it and roll it. No matter what kind of meat blows your dress up, this stuffing is totally awesome.  You need to do this!

 

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And that’s all I’ve got to say about that.

 

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Stuffed Leg of Lamb – Pinot Noir Soaked Fig and Dates with Gorgonzola and Pistachios

Ingredients

  • 4.5 pound leg of lamb butterflied (do yourself a favor and have the butcher do it)
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup salted pistachios
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more to rub on lamb
  • 3-4 ounces Gorgonzola crumbled
  • 6-8 dried figs soaked in Pinot Noir for at least 4 hours, chopped
  • 6-8 dried dates soaked in Pinot Noir for at least 4 hourschopped
  • 4-5 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. In the bowl of a food processor combine dates, figs, Gorgonzola, pistachios, garlic and bread crumbs. Pulse until combined and nuts and garlic are roughly chopped.
  3. Drizzle in olive oil and pulse until combined and the mixture is sort of damp and pasty
  4. Spread stuffing mixture on inside of lamb fold top of lamb over, tie with kitchen twine to keep together, rub outside of lamb with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
  5. Roast at 350 15-20 minutes per pound, until rare or preferred temperature