We had not had seafood at home in awhile, so, why not? The simple moules mariniere recipe from Pepin's book would suffice, but I did not feel like changing anything for my measly 2# of mussels. His recipe calls for 5 lbs., by the way. So, I went with a "Classic French Mussels" recipe I found online here. Honestly, it's pretty much the same thing. It worked out quite well with the primary differences being a few less herbs in this one than Pepin's.
I have never cooked mussels but knew that it was only as difficult as you made. Our dinner turned out well. As a side, and mostly to give us something else to eat, I blanched then sauteed some string beans with a little red pepper flake. Pair it all with some good crusty bread, and you've got yourself quite a dinner. The broth with the mussels was great - garlic, shallots, cream, white wine, and parsley. Simple but good.
My favorite part - sitting a big piece of bread in a bowl full of broth and letting it soak right in. Damn am I full.
As for Sri Lanka, I finally got around to watching No Reservations from last week. I am glad that Bourdain went to Sri Lanka because, other than the Tamil Tigers, I really knew nothing about Sri Lanka. Now, at least, I know that they apparently make some wonderful, spicy food. My favorite: the spicy crab curry from the end of the show. It's a "good ass burner in the morning" type of dish apparently. Perhaps, one of these days, I'll get the chance to taste it too.
