Upland Brewing in Bloomington, Ind., is known for its award-winning fruit lambic, but for his take on mussels, chef Seth Elgar recruits the brewery’s latest sour, the spice-laden, wine-barrel-aged Dantalion Dark Wild Ale. “The malt profile works well with the smoked ham,” he says. “We tend to use a lot of smoked and cured pork around Upland's kitchen, and Dantalion is a great vessel to carry that theme.” Can’t score a bottle of the rare brew? Try your favorite Flanders brown in its place.
Makes: 3 to 4
Ingredients:- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ÂĽ pound smoked ham, cut into 1⁄4-inch cubes
- 2 shallots, sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 sprigs thyme, stemmed
- 2 pounds Prince Edward Island mussels
- 12 ounces Upland Dantalion Dark Wild Ale
- 2 tablespoons Italian flat-leaf parsley, sliced thin
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 lemon and crusty French bread, for serving
Instructions:
• In a lidded pot with an 8-quart capacity or larger, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and ham; cook until the ham begins to brown and the shallots are slightly caramelized. Add the garlic and thyme, and cook until the garlic becomes translucent and the thyme is aromatic, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the mussels to the pot. Pour the beer over the mussels, cover and let steam 3 to 4 minutes. Most of the shells should be open; if not, re-cover and let steam 1 to 2 minutes more.
• When the mussels open, remove the pot from heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the open mussels to a serving bowl and cover with aluminum foil until ready to serve, reserving the pot contents. Discard the closed mussels.
• Place the pot back on the heat, and bring the ham and shallot broth to a simmer. Add the parsley and butter; stir with a wooden spoon to emulsify the broth. Pour the broth over the mussels, and serve with lemon wedges and French bread for mopping.
MUSSEL PREP:
Only cook mussels that are alive: Squeeze any open mussels, and discard any that don’t try to close on their own. Scrub live mussels with a clean cloth under cold, running water, removing any beards (the stringlike material present near the opening of the mussel). You can prep mussels up to 4 hours in advance: Place cleaned mussels in a bowl and cover completely with a clean, wet towel.
