COZZE ALLA TARANTINA

Cozze alla Tarantina image

Provided by Food Network

Time 30m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, sliced into chunks
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
12 ounces cherry tomatoes, some quartered and the rest sliced in half
3/4 cup dry white wine
3 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Grilled Bread, recipe follows
1 loaf country bread, cut into thick slices
1 head garlic, cut in half
Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving

Steps:

Heat a charcoal grill to medium high.
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy Dutch oven over the grill grates. Add the red pepper flakes and garlic and stir until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until some of the tomatoes begin to burst and you begin to smell their sweetness, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the wine. Once it begins to simmer, add the mussels and cover with a lid. Cook just until the mussels open, 6 to 8 minutes. Do not overcook or they'll be tough and chewy and no longer taste like the sea. Discard the mussels that do not open while cooking.
Divide the mussels and cooking liquid among soup bowls. Sprinkle with the parsley and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with the Grilled Bread.
Grill the bread over medium-high heat until golden and brown on both sides. Rub the garlic on both sides of the bread for flavor. Serve with olive oil.