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| General Category : Appetizers-Snacks-Hors-d'oeuvre |
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| Food Group : Seafood-Shellfish, Fish, Cheese/Other Dairy |
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| Fresh oysters and mussels, as traditionally served in the seaside pubs and café-bars of Britain and Europe, make very popular appetizers for a casual party. Set out the seafood as a help-yourself buffet along with baskets of sliced crusty baguette and dark bread. Provide hot sauce and lemon wedges to accompany the oysters and mussels, small forks for the mussels, a large bowl for empty shells and lots of small napkins. |
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Ingredients
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Steamed Mussels: |
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4 lb (2 kg) mussels |
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1/2 cup (125mL) each water and white wine |
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1 small onion, peeled and chopped |
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2 cloves garlic, minced |
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1/4 cup (50mL) fresh parsley, chopped |
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Smoked-Salmon Spread: |
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8 oz (250g) cream cheese |
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1/4 cup (50mL) light sour cream |
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2 tbsp (30mL) lemon juice |
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2 tsp (10mL) horseradish |
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8 oz (250g) smoked salmon |
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3 tbsp (45 mL) (approx.) fresh dill, chopped |
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3 tbsp (45 mL) fresh chives or green onions, chopped |
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3 tbsp (45 mL) capers, chopped |
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Salt and pepper |
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Oysters on the Half Shell: |
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Oysters |
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Lemon wedges |
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Hot pepper sauce |
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Preparation
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Steamed Mussels:
Scrub mussels well; remove beards. Discard any mussels that are not tightly closed. Combine water, white wine, onion and garlic in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Add mussels, cover and steam, shaking pot occasionally, until shells open, 4 to 5 minutes. Discard any that don't open. Sprinkle mussels with parsley. Transfer mussels to large bowl or platter using a slotted spoon.
Smoked-Salmon Spread:
Blend cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice and horseradish until smooth in a food processor or with an electric mixer. Cut salmon into chunks and add to bowl. Blend until almost smooth. Stir in dill, chives and capers. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to bowl, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To serve, garnish with fresh dill.
Makes about 2 cups (500 mL)
(Tip: In some markets, you can buy end chunks of smoked salmon, which are much less expensive than the sliced version and fine for this recipe. Smoked trout can also be used.)
Oysters on the Half Shell:
Recruit someone adept with an oyster knife to shuck the oysters just before serving. When shucking, retain liquid in bottom shell; discard top shell. Serve on bed of ice. Accompany with lemon wedges and hot pepper sauce.
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More Information
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Guiness and oysters is a classic pairing that has stood the test of time and it's a perfect match to our Seafood Bar.
If a lighter style beer is your preference, then choose a lager. Typically lighter-bodied, lagers' crisp acidity and elegant carbonation make them the perfect match to the assortment of flavours and textures in the Seafood Bar, and they act as the perfect palate cleanser for the spices and pungent flavours in the condiments and side dishes.
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