Poblano Spiced Mussels

Chris Kajawa 

• 4 grilled roma tomatoes
• 1 grilled, steamed, peeled, seeded and chopped poblano peppers
• 2 cloves, roasted garlic
• 1/8 cup chicken stock
• 1 tblsp. minced shallots
• 1 tspn. minced garlic
• 15 White Water Mussels
• 1/2 cup beer and orange juice mixture
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat grill to medium high. Grill tomatoes until blackened and soft. Grill poblano pepper until the skin blisters. Wrap in plastic to steam the skin for 10 minutes. Peel the pepper, seed and chop coarsely. Roast the garlic for about 12 minutes at 350 degrees F. Blend all three ingredients in a blender on high until smooth. Add the chicken stock to thin the sauce out if needed. Combine equal amounts of beer (preferably Mexican) and orange juice to equal 1/2 cup. Heat a 10" sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté the shallots and garlic in 1 tblsp. of olive oil until translucent. Add the mussels and toss the mix. Deglaze the pan with the beer mix and tomato sauce. Cover and simmer until mussels open, about two minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot by themselves or over pasta.