Steamed Mussels with Tatziki and Garbanzo

Serves 6

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons olive oil   

1/2 onion, sweet, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 15 oz. Can garbanzo beans

3 1/2 lbs. Mussels, Prince Edward Island (PEI), rinsed with beards removed *they are plump and juicy

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup orange juice, fresh squeezed

2 Tablespoons basil, fresh, chopped

1 lemon cut in wedges for garnish

1 recipe Salty Fig's Tatziki Sauce

Method:

1. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan, that has a tight fitting lid,  on medium heat.  Add onion and sauté until translucent. 

2. Add the garlic and garbanzo beans and sauté, until the garlic begins to turn golden brown. 

3. Add the mussels to the pan. Degalze the pan with the white wine and orange juice.

4. Cover the pan with the lid and allow the mussels to steam open, about 5-8  minutes. Shake the pan occasionally. Check on the mussels after 4 minutes to make sure they are opening up. You don't want to over cook the mussels. See below for information on mussels.

5. Garnish mussels with lemon wedges and fresh basil just before serving with a big scoop of Tatziki Sauce. 

Let's talk about mussels: When purchasing mussels, make sure your fishmonger gives you tightly closed ones, and gives them to you on ice in a bag that is open so they can breathe, lack of oxygen will cause the mussels to die. Before cooking mussels should be scrubbed with cold water and a brush.

Mussels should be closed when you cook them They tend to open due to temperature change, but should close when you touch them. If they don not, discard them. After you steam them they should be open, never eat a cooked mussel that has not opened on it's own. As with all shell fish,if it tastes weird don't eat it. They should be sweet, and briny.