PEI mussels, tomato/onion/garlic/Pinot, Israeli couscous/red and green orzo/split dried garbanzo beans/red quinoa, fresh parsley, lemon halves
Here’s my take on Fregola con Vongole, a popular Italian dish that’s usually prepared with semolina pasta and clams.
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs mussels
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 sweet onion
- 1/4 stick of unsalted butter
- 1 cup fresh cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup stewed tomatoes
- 3/4 cup chopped parsely
- 1/2 cup sweet white wine (I actually really like Moscato for this dish)
- 3/4 cup dried Israeli cous cous
- 1/8 cup dried red and green orzo
- 1/8 cup dried garbanzo beans
- 1/4 cup dried quinoa
- 1 lemon
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
The How To:
- Start your dried grains and beans in the rice cooker by adding all dried ingredients to the rice cooker with 1 3/4 cups water. I added a little seafood stock into the water to give it a richer flavor. Set it and forget it. NOTE: Some of your bits will be a little bite-ier than others–so, the garbanzo beans will still have a bite. Allow it. It’s delightful.
- In a large dutch oven, slice your garlic and add to pan. Using a mandolin on a julienne setting, cut your onion. Use the little protecty hand thing because slicing a hand on that thing is my nightmare and if you end up slicing yours, I’ll be so sad. Add onion to pan. When both are translucent, add the tomatoes, saving about 5 of the cherry tomatoes. Let cook about 5 minutes.
- Add your wine slowly to the pan and let it sit a little on the bottom to remove some of the tomatoey browned bits. Add 1/2 cup of parsley to the pan and stir. Add red pepper flakes.
- Now, add the mussels! Place the lid on top and let steam for about 5 minutes. Stir after 5 minutes. The mussels are ready when at least 3/4 of them are open. Before serving, remove any mussels that haven’t opened. Add the rice and bean mixture by gently stirring into the dutch oven.
- To serve, add some lemon halves, parsley, and sliced tomatoes to the cast iron.
Lovetanks & Limoncello 