Thanks to one of our Twitter followers for inspiring this awesome recipe. What a delicious treat it is. Great as an appetizer or as a meal. The broth is warm, tasty and great on colder evenings. With fresh seafood and Narragansett beer, you can't go wrong. Enjoy!
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 lb smoked bacon cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 large shallots thinly sliced
1/2 lb cherry tomatoes sliced in half
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
4-5 lbs. mussels, cleaned and de-bearded
8oz Narragansett lager beer
couple pinches of black and red pepper
couple pinches of salt
In a large sauce pan, cook the bacon over moderate heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. Add the shallots and garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes. Add the beer and simmer until reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Increase the heat to high and add the mussels. Cover and cook, shaking the pan a few times, until the mussels open, about 5 minutes.
If some mussels have not opened, discard them. Don't cook any longer then 3 minutes because mussels are very easy to overcook and they become rubbery.
Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve immediately. Great with a side of fries or some nice grilled sourdough bread.