this spaghetti & mussels pasta dish is the perfect recipe to serve at a summer dinner party. i can't wait till we get our outdoor space ready this month! i thought it would even be cute to set up a table & chairs set on our front porch for dinners too since it is such a large space.. we shall see! anyways, this dish comes together in a flash, looks gorgeous & simply just needs to be served with some toasted, buttery garlic bread & a cold glass of cambria's chardonnay. serving a recipe this simple means less time spent in the kitchen cooking & more time actually hanging out with your guests.
i love cooking with the type of wine i will be serving that night & as every chef says you should never cook with a wine you wouldn't drink! especially when the sauce to the spaghetti is simply wine, stock & olive oil. simplicity at its best. cambria's chardonnay opens with lively fruit & oak spice aromas. it is perfect to both cook & pair with fresh seafood. while i chose to add only mussels to this dish to keep it simple, you don't have to stop there! depending on the size of the crowd i am feeding, i like adding clams to the mix as well. shrimp & scallops too if you want a hearty seafood pasta dish.
have a lovely weekend & happy mother's day! we will be outfront gardening saturday & attending our towns art show sunday because my parents are on vacation in england, ireland & scottland. i am a little jealous, but mom if you are reading this please bring me be back ALL the grey & ivory wool you can find:) xo
ingredients
- 1 box of spaghetti, cooked to al dente
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 6 shallots, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3/4 cup cambria's chardonnay
- 1 1/2 cups fish or chicken stock
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh mussels
- 1/2 cup fresh parsely, roughly chopped
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1/2 cup parmesan, freshly grated
- salt & pepper, to taste
directions
- boil a large pot of water & cook spaghetti to al dente. strain, rinse with cold water & set aside.
- in a large frying pan over medium low heat add the garlic, shallots & olive oil. cook until the shallots turn translucent. season with salt & pepper.
- pour in the lemon juice & chardonnay, cook until the chardonnay reduces to half.
- add the chicken stock & let come to a simmer.
- add the mussels & steam with the lid on for 3-4 minutes or until the mussels have opened up.
- tosss in the cooked pasta until coated. finish off with fresh parsely, lemon zest, parmesan, salt & pepper.
- serve with a glass of cambria's chardonnay!
