Mussels in Salsa Americana

“ムール貝のサルサ アメリカーナ”

This French-born sauce is a recipe you’ll definitely want to add to your repertoire. Originally called ‘sauce à l'américaine,’ Salsa Americana is a classic French sauce created for lobster. In Spain, where seafood is abundant, it has become a popular choice for cooking all kinds of seafood.

My Spanish cooking mentor, Isabel, conjured this dish while we were preparing another meal. We found ourselves snacking at the kitchen counter, scraping the mussels and sauce with shells, dipping bread into it, and reached out to a bottle of wine…….

I loved the casual, spontaneous nature of the moment, and in my recipe, I serve it as a tapa. However, it also pairs with rice or potatoes.

Ingredients

Fresh mussels   1kg

Bay leaf   1

White wine   50ml

Leek   white part1/2

Shallot   1

Garlic   2clove

Crushed ripe tomato   200g

Tomato paste    1tsp

Butter   30g

Flour   1tbsp

Cayenne pepper   1/4tsp

Brandy   100ml

Cooking juice from mussels   200ml

1. Clean the mussels well by scraping the shells and removing the beards.

2. Place them in a large pot with the bay leaf and white wine. Cook over medium heat with the lid on for 5 minutes.

3. Drain the cooked mussels over a fine-mesh sieve, reserving the cooking liquid.

4. Heat the butter in a pan and sauté the finely sliced leek, shallot, and garlic with a pinch of salt over low heat. When the vegetables become soft, add tomato paste, flour and cayenne pepper. Stir a few times, then add brandy to flambé.

5. Add the tomato and reserved liquid, and continue cooking over low heat for 5 minutes. Season to taste.

6. Open the mussels and discard the empty half of the shells. Return the mussels to the hot sauce and serve once they are warmed through.