LINGUINE WITH MUSSELS PROVENCALE

Linguine With Mussels Provencale image

Provided by Florence Fabricant

Time 1h10m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

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Ingredients

2 pounds mussels, preferably small ones
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 sweet red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound linguine

Steps:

Scrub and debeard the mussels.
Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a three- to four-quart pot. Add half the onions and one clove of the garlic and saute over low heat until soft but not brown. Stir in one-third of the tomatoes, cook a few minutes so they begin to soften, then add the wine.
Bring to boil, add the mussels, cover and steam until the mussels open, about 10 minutes.
Transfer the mussels from the pan to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. Set them aside until cool enough to handle. Meanwhile add the cream to the cooking liquid and cook until the liquid is reduced to one cup.
Remove the mussels from their shells, reserving eight of them in their shells for garnish.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.
Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet. Add the remaining onion, garlic and the sweet red pepper and cook until they begin to brown. Stir in the remaining tomatoes and saute about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes are tender. Stir in the cooking liquid from the mussels and cook a few minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken. Stir in the mussels and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to serve.
When the water is boiling cook the linguine for six to seven minutes, until al dente. Drain and place in a warm serving dish. Reheat the mussel sauce, toss with the linguine and divide among four plates. Garnish each plate with two of the reserved mussels in their shells.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 848, UnsaturatedFat 17 grams, Carbohydrate 103 grams, Fat 26 grams, Fiber 6 grams, Protein 44 grams, SaturatedFat 7 grams, Sodium 1245 milligrams, Sugar 8 grams