Ingredients
- MUSSELS:
- 4 4 to 5 lb. live closed Alaska mussels in shell, washed and de-bearded
- 2 Tablespoons 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup 1 cup diced shallots
- 1/2 cup 1/2 cup minced garlic
- 2 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 3 sprigs fresh parsley
- 6 6 to 8 arbol chilies
- 1 bottle 1 bottle of dry white wine
- 2 2 quarts chicken stock
- 1/2 1/2 to 1 lb. alderwood chips, moistened
- CHOWDER:
- 1 lb. 1 lb. bacon, diced
- 2 Tablespoons 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 lb. 1 lb. chopped Alaska Grown yellow onions 1 large onion
- 8 oz. 8 oz. Alaska Grown carrots about 2 to 3 carrots
- 8 oz. 8 oz. chopped Alaska Grown celery about 4 stalks
- 1 cup 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1 quart Alaska Grown milk
- 1 1 pint heavy cream
- 2 2 to 3 sprigs thyme
- 2 2 to 3 sprigs parsley
- 1 1 bay leaf
- 2 Tablespoons 2 Tablespoons hot sauce, such as Tabasco
- 1 Tablespoon 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 3 3 pounds Alaska Grown red potatoes, diced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish optional
Servings:
Units:
Instructions
- MUSSELS:
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic; saut until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add
- mussels, thyme, parsley and chilies; stir well. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes; deglaze by adding wine and chicken stock. Cover and cook for 2 to
- 3 minutes or until mussels have opened. Remove mussels from broth, keeping some in shell for presentation, if desired; refrigerate mussels
- while smoker is heating up. Simmer broth on low heat until it has reduced in volume by half, to about 5 to 6 cups broth. Strain broth
- through a sieve into a bowl; reserve. Once the mussels have chilled, place them (and shell) on smoker racks and in a smoker with moistened
- alder chips. Smoke for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Remove smoked mussels from their shells and reserve meat for later use.
- CHOWDER:
- In a large pot or skillet over medium heat, saut bacon until it has rendered its fat, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add butter and melt. Stir in
- onions, carrots and celery; cook over medium heat just until vegetables begin to soften. Stir in flour to make a roux and cook, stirring
- frequently, about 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually stir in milk, cream and reserved mussel broth, thyme, parsley, bay leaves, hot sauce and
- paprika. Stir in potatoes and about 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, just until potatoes are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Fold in the smoked mussels (or other seafood; if using
- fresh fish, just add cubed pieces), stir and cook just until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and add more salt, pepper or hot sauce
- as needed. Garnish, if desired, with fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley.
Recipe Notes
You will want to start this at least one day in advance so you have time to steam, chill, and smoke the mussels. This
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