So, where are we cheating on this recipe?? We used pre-packaged smoked mussels, which is a locally made product. They come from Belfast, ME which is a very cute coastal town with a thriving art scene. The other product we cheat with is the sauce, which is a completely mass produced Classico Spicy Red Pepper Tomato Sauce. I'm very picky about tomato sauces from the jar. I don't like a sweet sauce, so I stay away from sauces with sugar or corn syrup. I try to purchase ones with the simplest ingredients. This variety has a little spice to it that complements the smoked mussels very nicely.
This recipe will make a lot, but we always like to make extra. I'll also show you what we do with the leftovers.
Spicy and Smoky Tomato Sauce w/ Mussels
2 leeks, cleaned and chopped (explained below)
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 oz. mushrooms, sliced
4 oz. pancetta, diced
6oz. smoked mussels (we used Ducktrap River of Maine)
2 jars of Classico Spicy Red Pepper Tomato Sauce
1 box of Fettuccine, or whatever pasta you like
1) First start out by cleaning your leeks. Trim off the dark green ends because they are very fibrous and tough. Cut the leeks in half and wash them out. Dirt gets trapped in the layers, so its best to clean them when they are halved. Chop them along with your other veggies and the pancetta, then saute for about 10 minutes. Don't forget to start your pot of water boiling for the pasta!
2) Add the mussels, juice and all! You'll notice the amazing aroma that comes from the mussels! Cook for another 5 minutes or so.3) Add the tomatoe sauce. Get the flavors to meld together for about 20-30 minutes.
That's it! And let me tell you, cheating feels so good when you taste this sauce!!
With all that extra sauce, we saved it to make pizzas the next day. Even better the second time around!
Remember, when the kitchen gets too hot, get back in there and keep cooking!-BabyStella
