1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon minced shallot
2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/3 cup Scotch whisky
2 lbs. mussels, cleaned and debearded
2 cups half and half or whipping cream
2 tablespoon minced green onion
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
Salt and fresh ground pepper
1 lb. dried fettuccine (or equivalent of fresh pasta)
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and add the mushrooms, shallot and garlic. Sauté until the mushrooms begin to soften. Add the scotch and tilt the pan so the liquid settles to one side, warming it for just a moment. Light a match and carefully draw it to the pan until the Scotch ignites; let in burn until the flame subsides. Stir in the mussels with the cream, green onion and mustard. Simmer, partly covered until the mussels have opened, 5 -7 minutes, transferring then to a bowl as they open; discard the ones that don’t open. Taste the sauce, add salt and pepper to taste. If the sauce is not thick enough to coat spoon, boil to reduce it.
Cook the fettuccine in the boiling water until al dente. Drain well and put the pasta in a large serving bowl. Pour the mussels and the sauce over the pasta; toss to coat well. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
NOTE:
For a lighter version replace 1 cup of cream with 1 cup of fish stock. Clams may be used instead of mussels.
From McCormick’s Fish House Seattle