Mussel Tagine With Tomatoes

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   This is another great recipe adapted from Paula Wolfert’s book Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking. 

The original recipe calls for a ½ cup of chopped cilantro, which we don’t care for. I substituted coriander seed instead, which maintains the Moroccan flavors.

It’s important that your remove the mussels from the broth as soon as they open, otherwise there’s danger that they’ll toughen up. Keep in mind that they’ll continue cooking once you return them to the tagine.

Although I haven't done so, there's no reason this same dish wouldn't work with shrimp or scallops if mussels aren't available.

MUSSEL TAGINE WITH TOMATO & MOROCCAN FLAVORS

4 lb mussels     
1 ½ lb ripe tomatoes
¼ cup olive oil     
1 tbls finely chopped garlic
½ cup finely chopped parsley     
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander     
2 tsp sweet paprika     
¼ tsp red pepper
Juice of a large lemon     
Sea salt to taste

Prep the mussels. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and remove seeds. Grate each tomato half using the course side of a grater.

Place the olive oil and tomato pulp in a tagine over medium-low heat and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until reduced to a thick sauce.  Add the garlic, parsley, coriander, cumin, paprika and red pepper. Cook, stirring, until the sauce is thick. 

Meanwhile steam the mussels until they just open. Drain, reserving the broth. Strain the broth through a double thickness of cheesecloth to remove any grit. Remove mussels from their shells (reserve a half dozen for garnish, if desired)

Add a half cup of the broth to the tomato sauce. Season with the lemon juice and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often, until the sauce is reduced and thick again. 

Add the mussels to the tagine. Cover. Remove from heat to a wooden or cloth-covered surface. Let rest five minutes. 