Bangs Island Mussels

Shallot Sauce, Chile, Onions, Garlic, White Wine, Sourdough Bread

Chef Chris Wilcox of Judy Gibson | Portland, ME

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Adapted by StarChefs | July 2023

INGREDIENTS

Chile Paste:
200 grams guajillo chiles, toasted and seeded
100 grams ancho chiles, toasted and seeded
8 grams chiles de árbol, toasted and seeded
80 grams tomato paste
155 grams sliced shallots

Shallot Sauce:
1 kilogram roasted shallot oil
360 grams garlic oil
145 grams minced shallots
260 grams fish sauce
20 grams gluten-free soy sauce
185 grams Sherry vinegar
25 grams oregano

To Assemble and Serve:
Canola oil
4 onions, roughly chopped
1 head garlic, halved
20 pounds Bangs Island mussels, picked and cleaned
White wine
Lemon juice
Sourdough bread

METHOD

For the Chile Paste:
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine all ingredients and 1.2 kilograms water. Cover pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the water has evaporated. Transfer mixture to a Vitamix blender and purée until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and reserve.

For the Shallot Sauce:
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and 610 grams Chile Paste. Whisk mixture until smooth and emulsified. Set aside.

To Assemble and Serve:
In a sauté pan over medium flame, heat oil. Add onions and garlic. Fry until golden brown. Add mussels and enough white wine to deglaze the pan. Cover and cook until mussels are just opened. Using a slotted spoon, remove mussels and place on a cooling rack. Let air dry in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, prepare a cold smoker with applewood. Smoke mussels 3 to 4 hours. Transfer smoked mussels to a sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add a generous amount of Shallot Sauce to the pan and warm. Season with lemon juice. Transfer mussels and sauce to a serving bowl. Serve with sourdough bread.

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