Mussels with Cider and Cream

serves 4

5 pounds mussels, debearded

¼ pound bacon, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

12 ounces hard cider

1 bunch parsley, chopped

1 inch piece peeled ginger, minced

1 small Thai chili, chopped

¼ cup heavy cream

Cook the bacon in a large skillet with a tight fitting lid. Once the bacon is browned, add garlic, ginger and Thai chili, sauté over medium heat until soft. Add cider and bring to a boil. Gently add mussels to skillet, cover tightly and steam just until mussels open. Check your pan every couple of minutes and remove the mussels as they open, transferring to a dish and keeping warm. Discard any mussels that have not opened after about 5 minutes. When all the mussels have been transferred, remove skillet lid; increase heat to high, add cream and boil until reduced by half. To serve, put mussels in individual serving bowls and pour the steaming liquid over them.

Garnish with chopped parsley. 

Tilefish a la Talla, Guerrero Style

serves 4
 
2 pounds tilefish*
juice of 2 limes
4 guajillo chiles, seeds removed and soaked in hot water until soft
2 cloves garlic, peeled
½ yellow onion
salt to taste
¼ cup mayonnaise
aluminum foil, 3 times the size of the fish
onion, tomato and avocado, diced, for garnish

Place the softened chiles, onion, garlic and juice of 1 lime in a blender, along with enough of the water used to soften the chiles to ease blending. Blend until smooth. Combine the chile sauce and mayonnaise.

Sprinkle salt on the tilefish. Lay out the aluminum foil. Place fish on the foil. Spread the chile sauce, mayo combo on both sides of the fish. Fold the aluminum foil in half and crimp the edges to seal.

Heat the oven to 400°.Bake foil pouches for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, tear open foil and garnish with onion, tomato and avocado. Sprinkle with remaining lime juice.

*substitutes: striped bass, grouper, snapper

White Bean and Hamachi Soup

White Bean and Hamachi Soup

8 oz hamachi fillet, cut into 1" cubes

1 cup white beans, precooked

3 cups chicken stock

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

½ cup white onion, chopped

2 count bay leaves
1 ounce romano cheese, grated

salt and pepper
olive oil
cilantro leaves(for garnish)
cherry tomatoes, quartered (for garnish)

Heat a heavy saucepan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add hamachi, and cook gently until browned. Remove fish from pan and set aside. Add garlic and onions, cook until translucent. Add beans, chicken stock and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, return hamachi to pan.

Remove from heat and divide into bowls. Garnish with cilantro leaves, tomatoes and grated cheese. Salt and pepper to taste.