Though this recipe is titled “Mussels & Corn in a Spicy Tomato Broth,” it might as well be called “Liquid Gold I’d Like to Dip Everything In Sight In.”
The broth has a wonderful sweet and spiciness from the corn kernels and the Calabrian chilis, along with some bright acid from the wine and tomatoes and meaty richness from the pancetta. Everything blends together and begs, nay yearns for some crusty bread to dip into to.
And don’t feel limited to just mussels here. You can use clams, shrimp, any firm white fish – just gently poach until cooked through. Or don’t even feel limited to seafood for that matter. This sauce makes an awesome eggs-in-purgatory base the next morning – if there are any leftovers.
This recipe does lend itself to late summer produce – corn and tomatoes. But if you have a craving during the winter months, frozen corn kernels will work just fine. Just skip the roasting step. Cherry tomatoes are generally available all year round, but a few whole canned tomatoes would work as well.
If you haven’t picked up a jar of the Divina Calabrian Chili peppers yet, do yourself a favor and run now and get one. The Calabria region of Italy produces some of Aperitivo’s favorite things (wink wink, ‘nduja) and these peppers lend unmatchable spiciness with a tiny hint of sweetness to anything you add them to.
Langhe Arneis is a perfect wine, both to use and drink with, this dish. The Northern Italian bottle has notes of ripe pears and limestone. Any dry and acidic white wine can work in this dish, but get something that you still want to drink after you use what you need to in the recipe.
Because you already get the gist that “crusty bread for dipping” is a non-negotiable for this dish, high-quality butter for the bread is a close second. Pull it out of the fridge before you start cooking. That way it will be soft and spreadable by the time dinner is served. Trust us. High quality, high fat, room temperature butter takes your bite from, “this is delicious,” to “this is so freaking delicious I don’t know what to do with myself.” And that just sounds more fun, right?
Mussels & Corn in a Spicy Tomato Broth
Ingredients
- 3 ears fresh corn on the cob
- 1 Tbsp EVOO
- ¼ pound thick-sliced pancetta – diced into small cubes (about ¼ in.)
- 1 small red onion – diced
- 2 garlic cloves – chopped
- 1 – 3 Divina Calabrian Chili peppers – coarsely chopped
- 2 cups assorted tomatoes – heirloom, cherry, grape, etc.
- 1 cup dry white wine – try the Langhe Arneis
- 24 mussels – scrubbed
- 2 Tbsp butter – plus more for bread
- 1 Tbsp chives – chopped
- Crusty bread – for dipping
Instructions
- Roast corn cobs in a dry cast iron pan over medium-high heat, rotating around until some kernels begin to get charred, about 8 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, slice the kernels off the cob and set aside.
- Wipe out the pan and return to medium-low heat. (You may need to keep the pan off the heat for a few minutes to cool down.)
- Add EVOO, cubed pancetta, and diced red onion and cook over medium-low heat until the fat starts to render and the onions become translucent about 5 minutes.
- Add the chopped garlic and Calabrian peppers and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add in the tomatoes, chopping larger ones and cook until they start to burst and release their juices, an additional 4 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan with wine, scraping up the bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
- Before you add the mussels, discard any that won’t close. Gently add into the pan, along with two tablespoons of butter.
- Cover the pan and simmer until the mussels begin to open, about 5-7 minutes. Discard any mussels that don’t open. Pour corn kernels back into the pan and gently stir to combine.
- Serve out of the cast iron pan, or place a few mussels in a shallow bowl and spoon corn and broth over the top.Garnish with fresh chopped chives and serve with lots of crusty bread and butter.
It’s looking yummy. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe. Also, the note you have mentioned at the end of this article is very useful. Thanks again and keep sharing.