Mussels Fra Diavolo with Roasted Garlic from 'The Catch'

By
Kate Williams
Kate Itrich-Williams is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Kate Williams
Kate Itrich-Williams is a food writer, editor, and recipe developer who wrote the "Cook the Book" column for Serious Eats.
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Updated March 27, 2019
Mussels Fra Diavolo with Roasted Garlic
Gabriela Herman

Mussels are pretty much my default shellfish. They're easy to cook, easy to eat, and taste of little more than the sweet, briny ocean. Because mussels are such a blank canvas, it's a breeze to dress them up however you see fit. Ben Sargent's Mussels Fra Diavolo from his new cookbook, The Catch, are an excellent example of the form. The usual diavolo players (chile flakes, tomatoes, white wine) are present, but it's the uncommon addition of roasted garlic that makes the dish memorable.

Why I picked this recipe: Mussels are an easy go-to dish; adding chile and roasted garlic only makes them more tempting.

What worked: The roasted garlic was a standout here, adding additional sweetness and depth to the spicy broth.

What didn't: The recipe doesn't mention to mash up the garlic once it comes out of the oven, but then refers to it as puree. I just gave it a good smush with the olive oil before stirring it into the broth.

Suggested tweaks: You could use this recipe to steam clams, or a mixture of clams and mussels. If you're not into spice, you can cut back on the chile flakes as you see fit. (It will no longer be fra diavolo, but it'll still taste great.) The recipe is also easily cut in half if you're only serving a couple people.

Reprinted with permission from The Catch: Sea-to-Table Recipes, Stories & Secrets by Ben Sargent with Peter Kaminsky. Copyright 2013. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House. All rights reserved. Available wherever books are sold.

Recipe Details

Mussels Fra Diavolo with Roasted Garlic from 'The Catch'

Active 30 mins
Total 0 mins
Serves 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 large heads garlic, top quarter cut off
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon chile flakes or 1 habanero chile, finely chopped
  • 3 large plum tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 4 pounds mussels, scrubbed
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley
  • Toasted baguette slices, for serving

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Put garlic in a small baking dish, cut sides up, and drizzle cut sides of garlic with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake for about 1 hour, until very soft. Squeeze soft garlic from papery skins into a small bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

  2. In a large pot, heat remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add scallions and chile flakes, and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, cover, and cook until the tomatoes dissolve, about 4 minutes. Raise heat to medium-high and add garlic purée and wine.

  3. Bring scallion-garlic mixture to a boil and add mussels. Cover and cook, shaking the pot a few times, until mussels open, about 5 minutes. With a large slotted spoon or Chinese wire strainer, lift open mussels from pot and transfer to serving bowls. Discard any mussels that do not open.

  4. Remove pot from heat. Season sauce with salt and pepper and add basil. Pour sauce over mussels and serve right away with toasted baguette slices.

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