Can it be that there are no bad cooks in Italy and Sicily? Or maybe there are only a few really good cooks, while the rest aren't so much mediocre as simply ordinary. But it's the children of the really good cooks who end up on TV cooking shows and in magazines and writing cookbooks, much like Nick Stellino's Family Kitchen, that skew what's real. Nick Stellino has made a living in print and on TV selling the Italian family table
My father built quite a reputation with this dish. I borrowed the recipe and have had it with me in every restaurant where I worked. The inclusion of curry in an Italian dish may seem unusual but for the Venetians, who were great traders with the Far East, it is not uncommon.
Serves 6 generously
2 1/2 pounds fresh mussels
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, thickly sliced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 cup sparkling white wine
3 cups clam juice
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups peeled, diced white potato, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
Pull the mossy "beard" from each mussel and scrub the shell well. Discard any mussels that do not close tightly when tapped. Chill the mussels until ready to use.
In a soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat.
Add the onion and garlic and sauté over medium heat, slowly until the onion is golden and soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and lemon zest, and the red pepper flakes if desired, and cook 1 minute.
Add the mussels to the pot and increase heat to high. Toss well. Pour in the wine and simmer, covered, for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover and remove the mussels to a large bowl as they open. Discard any that have not opened after 6 to 7 minutes. When the mussels have been removed, add the clam juice, cream, potato, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
While the soup is cooking, remove the mussels from their shells. Pour any liquid that has accumulated in the mussel bowl into the soup. When the soup has finished cooking, puree it to a smooth cream in a food processor or blender. Reheat the soup on low heat. Stir in the mussels and the basil. Serve immediately.
A medium-hot curry mix will give a nice spicy balance to this dish. If you don't like curry, use turmeric instead, to obtain the yellowish color. The optional 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes makes the dish spicier.
