Recipe: Mussels in a White Wine Sauce/Stuffed Baked Mussels in Basic Tomato Sauce

Hi Martina!
Here are a couple recipes I had in my collection...I included them both because one includes the method of baking them after they are cooked...I was thinking that perhaps between the two recipes you could come up with the one you want! Happy Birthday to your Hubby! Hope these recipes help!

Cozze Al Vino Bianco - (Mussels In A White Wine Sauce) 2 whole garlic cloves -- crushed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup julienned onions
1 pinch red pepper flakes
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup dry white wine
64 mussels - (abt 3 lbs)
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
1/2 cup chicken stock -- (optional)

In a deep skillet, cook the garlic cloves until golden in the olive oil. Add onions and cook until wilted. Add red pepper flakes, thyme, and white wine, and bring to a boil. Then simmer for 2 minutes.
Add mussels and parsley. Cover tight and cook over medium flame until shells open (approximately 3 to 5 minutes). Add parsley, butter and bread crumbs, and if the mussels do not have enough juice, you can add chicken stock. Bring all to a vigorous boil for 2 minutes, shaking the skillet well so that all ingredients mix well.
This recipe yields 4 servings.

Source:
"CHEF DU JOUR - (Show # DJ-9256) - from the TV FOOD NETWORK"
Recipe by Lidia Bastianich


Stuffed Baked Mussels

3 pounds Prince Edward Island mussels -- (abt 50 to 60 count)
1/2 cup Dry white wine
2 1/2 cups Basic Tomato Sauce -- see * Note
1 cup Fresh basil leaves
1 cup Fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
Lemon wedges

* Note: See the "Basic Tomato Sauce" recipe below

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Clean and debeard mussels. Place mussels in a 12- to 14-inch saute pan or large saucepan with the wine, cover and place over high heat to steam. Mussels should steam open in 2 to 3 minutes. Drain mussels, reserving liquid. Place liquid in a medium saucepan and add the Basic Tomato Sauce. Bring to boil, lower heat to simmer and reduce to 2 cups. Allow to cool.
Meanwhile, open mussels and remove the piece of shell that the mussel has detached itself from. Loosen the mussel from the second shell but leave it intact in the shell. Lay the mussels on a large baking sheet. Place 1/2 teaspoon tomato sauce mixture on each mussel. Chiffonade all basil leaves and place several ribbons of basil over each mussel. Sprinkle with half a teaspoon of bread crumbs, dot with 2 to 3 drops olive oil and bake for 4 to 5 minutes, or until hot. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Basic Tomato Sauce

1 Spanish onion -- cut 1/4" dice
4 Garlic cloves -- thinly sliced
3 ounces Virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons Fresh thyme
(or 2 tablespoons dried thyme)
1/2 medium Carrot -- finely shredded
56 ounces Crushed tomatoes - (2 cans) -- with their juices
Salt -- to taste

Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat until translucent, but not brown (about 10 minutes). Add the thyme and carrot and cook 5 minutes more. Add the tomatoes. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to just bubbling, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Serve immediately, or set aside for future use. The sauce may be refrigerated for up to one week or frozen for up to 6 months.
This recipe yields 6 cups of sauce.

Recipe Source:
MOLTO MARIO with Mario Batali