Talk about delicious. A little sweet, very spicy, chunky, and no joke: stand-a-spoon up thick. This is how spaghetti sauce should be. Far from “egg noodles and ketchup” (quote by Henry Hill upon witness relocation, about the sad state of local spaghetti – “Goodfellas”).
This is an adaptation of the Jamaican Pot Roast my Mom made me as a kid. Hers is a delicious and mild recipe that I’ll probably cook properly in a future installment. But this was very much inspired by it, and it turned out flawlessly. The rub isn’t a true Jerk seasoning, but it’s a very tasty twist on it.
I spent a lot of time on the gravy. I kept tasting until it finally tasted “right”, because I had nothing more than a guess in mind when I started. It’s very pleasantly spicy, not a singing peppery hot. It poses the slow, poised heat which ginger yields when you’re not shooting for sweet.
This recipe was partially inspired by the throw-down champ, Bobby Flay. His
Steamers in Red Chile Pesto Broth is something I did a twist on in the past–it’s delicious. It’s not difficult to make and it looks elegant if you arrange it with a little care when serving. I think you’ll agree the Asian flavors are there, you could opt for slightly less heat perhaps (use less serrano). Very little less if you go that route, however.
1 lb mussels
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
2 tbsp roasted garlic
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 12oz can beer
1/3 cup lime juice
1/2 tsp chinese five spice
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup serrano peppers, minced
Add all ingredients except mussels into a saute pan. Simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Rinse mussels thoroughly. Raise heat of broth to bring it to a low boil. Add mussels, cover and allow them to cook for a few minutes until the mussel shells are open. Discard all mussels which do not fully open. Serve a few mussels and a few spoonfuls of broth. My suggestion is to serve it over rice.
