Mexican Chipotle Mussels

Authentic or not authentic, this Mexican recipe for mussels is delicious and healthy. It reminds me of a time a few years ago when my husband and I were just dating. We were about to go on our first trip together, to the Mexican Mayan Riviera.

In anticipation of our trip, Lawrence made Mexican chicken breasts with chipotle sauce for dinner, it was an amazing meal. It was divine. This was the first time I ever had chipotle peppers and they came from a can with that delicious tomato-esque adobo sauce. "Wow, these peppers are so good, I love spicy food", I thought to myself. He only used a few peppers and threw out the rest, not knowing what to do with the remains of the can. I loved this recipe so much that the next day I decided we should enjoy a similar tomato-chipotle sauce with mussels. We went back to the grocery store and bought another can of chipotle peppers. This time I was in charge of making dinner. Not knowing how many peppers he used the day before I decided that half a can should be a good amount. Wow! That meal was amazingly spicy. Nevertheless, it really was delicious, although unbelievably hot, burning our mouths to no end. The problem was that it was so good, that we could not stop eating. We took a number of breaks, had a few coronas and just kept eating some more.

That was a very memorable dinner that we often think about with fond memories. Since then I have learned a lot about chipotle peppers. First of all, they are very spicy, so use them with caution. Any recipe with chipotle peppers, or any spicy peppers, use as a guide and add peppers gradually to control the amount of heat. Also it's important to remember that they will add an extra 10% of heat once their full flavour incorporates into the dish. Its best to taste whatever you are cooking after 10 minutes to determine if there is need to add more. One last tip, the unused peppers and sauce can be frozen in a plastic bag until they are needed again. Next time you need them, just break or cut off a piece.

I often make mussels because they are easy and take minutes to cook. This recipe from start to finish takes less than 30 minutes and that includes making the sauce. Mussels are also a good ingredient to add to a regular meal routine as its important to eat fish and seafood on a weekly basis. In this recipe I make the sauce, I often try to do that, its much healthier than purchasing them; they often are high in fat, additives and sodium. This a delicious recipe, perfect for a novice cook, and speaking from my own experience great for a quick and delicious date at home. I really enjoy eating this mussel dish as a main course, this recipe is very satisfying however if served in smaller quantity could also be a wonderful appetizer.

Click here for the recipe.

A wonderful accompaniment to it would be cilantro roasted bread, similar to a garlic bread. A delicious spread of butter or olive oil combined with a touch of cilantro and salt and pepper, distributed on fresh crusty bread and broiled for a few minutes until warm and slightly golden.

Mediterranean Tomato Salad

This past weekend we were invited to our friends house for a little get together; to catch up, have some laughs, alongside with delicious food and wine. I took upon my self to bring a few appetizers. I love bringing food when getting together with friends, little less for our hosts to think about and to do. After all, getting together should be fun not stressful and time consuming. Having a busy day myself, I was looking forward to making something easy, delicious and something that wouldn't keep me in the kitchen for too long. One more restriction, Celiac-friendly.

I was still in a mood for something Mediterranean, to transport me to a warm and sunny place, this winter has been too long. As a result I felt like making my wonderful Escargot Stuffed Mushrooms and a delicious Mediterranean Tomato Salad with gourmet tomatoes. My local supermarket sells pre-packaged "Gourmet Tomatoes", my inspiration for this salad. Inside the plastic container are countless varieties of tomatoes; some are very small, some are larger, they include cherry and grape varieties, some are green, orange and the list goes on. I'm not sure of all the different kinds but one thing is for sure, they all are delicious, sweet and taste as if kissed by the sun. Unlike some other tomatoes that are tasteless, green from being picked to early and stored in the fridge for who knows how long.

Buying such a delicious product makes making a delectable salad very easy. I combined the tomatoes with some good quality olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fresh basil and sage leaves, seasoned with some sea salt and black pepper and garnished with good Romano cheese.... My friends loved it!! They said they never had a better tomato salad, I can't take all the credit, hat's off to tomato farmers where ever they are.

To view a full recipe click here.