Chanterelles and Mussels, Alive, Alive O

For me, this is another recipe and cooking experience that started at Lion’s Market on Saratoga Boulevard in San Jose. Walking along a frozen seafood case, I saw a package of New Zealand Green Mussels, half shelled and pre-cooked at $3.99 a pound.

by Richard Lyness

Cantharellus californicus. © Alan Rockefeller (from mushroomobserver.org)

I’m sure variants of the recipe that follows would similarly work with fresh green mussels or fresh local mussels (the latter adding to a sense of the foray and “eato-loco” discipline — to which I subscribe when possible). But the frozen Green Mussels (24 to a package) made this a remarkably easy dish.

Objective:

Main Course

Total Time:

Under an hour

Yield:

Varies by preference

Suggested Mushrooms:

Cantharellus californicus (California golden chanterelle, mud puppy, oak chanterelle)
Pleurotus eryngii (king trumpet mushroom)

Ingredients

1 package of green mussels (24 pack) on the half shell, thawed and rinsed

1/2 stick of butter

6-8 quartered large shallots

1or 2 teaspoons of minced garlic

Bottle of lager or Oktoberfest beer

Chanterelles or King Oyster mushrooms (about the same amount as the shallots)

Loaf of sourdough bread*

Your favorite tasty cheese

* When I cheat I use pre-sliced Trader Joe’s Four Cheese or Trader Joe’s Cheese and Cheddar Sourdoughs, and toast before chopping into large croutons. If I were doing this for you, I’d certainly use a homemade sourdough from my 100-year old sponge, with appropriate cheeses and herbs, baked a few hours before your arrival and toasted.

Method

Start with a stove-top casserole pan and melt a half stick of butter on medium heat.
Add 6-8 quartered large shallots and 1or 2 teaspoons of minced garlic. Once that’s beginning to simmer add a bottle of lager. Or, knowing the FFSC audience, something you’ve brewed yourself – again supporting the “eato-loco” movement).
Sauté all.
Chop your chanterelles (or, in a pinch, use King Oyster mushrooms) into large pieces comparable to the shallot pieces. Add to the mix and sauté for 5 – 10 minutes.
In the meantime, toast sourdough bread to create croutons.
Add cheese melted on top and then add the croutons to the mix in the casserole dish. Stir to incorporate the simmer juices into the croutons.
Toss the thawed, cleaned mussels into the simmering liquid and heat through for 1-2 minutes (no longer, as frozen green mushrooms are pre-cooked).
Remove the mussels from the shells at this point (they should just slide off the half shell).
Continue to simmer for a few minutes before serving.

Enjoyably tasted with a cold dark beer!

Possible Variations

The second time I made this I found it interesting to omit the croutons, add 2-3 tablespoons of Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce and serve over rice or noodles. More broth is probably helpful (perhaps requiring a little more beer). I also wonder about using chopped or whole garlic cloves rather than minced garlic. Or possibly other root vegetables like small finger potations or carrots. Fennel is another possible variation that blends well with mussels.

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