Recipes

1. Spoon 2 oz. of the base sauce into the bottom of the cataplana. Place the mussels on top of the sauce and top with the remaining 1 oz. of sauce and a splash of white wine.
2. Bring the cataplana to a simmer on the stovetop (about 4 minutes) and clasp shut. Place in a hot oven for about 5-7 minutes.
3. Remove from the oven and open. Shake well and discard any mussels that have not opened. Taste for seasoning and garnish with chopped cilantro. Clasp shut and serve.

*Soffrito (about 2 quarts:)

½ cup — olive oil
1 lb. — chourico diced
2 ea. — yellow onion julienne
2 ea. — red bell pepper julienne
2 ea. — yellow bell pepper julienne
6 — cloves of garlic minced
4 ea. — bay leaves
2 tsp. — sweet paprika
1 tsp. — pimenton
½ tsp. — chili flakes
16 oz. — San Marzano tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 ½ cup — white wine
1 bunch — parsley chopped
1 bunch — cilantro chopped
— salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sweat the onions, peppers, chourico, and garlic. Add the spices and bay leaf.
2. Add the white wine and chopped tomatoes and bring to a simmer for a half an hour. Add the herbs and season with the salt and pepper. Cool until service.