Karen and I met around 3 years ago (I think) through an online parenting forum we're both members of. It was our mutual love for cross-stitching that started it all. She asked a stitching question, I replied. She asked me another, I replied, this time with a bit of chit chat and before we knew it, our keyboards were on fire. As time passed, we realised we love our food too and everything just took off from there. We email each other on an almost (week)daily basis. I've only met her once on a trip to Singapore but I feel I know so much about her an vice versa. She's become such a close friend and I'm blessed to have her as my confidante. I only hope she feels the same way, too.

Anyway, here is Karen's recipe:

Mussels In Chilli Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 small red chilli peppers, deseeded, finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 kg tomatoes, finely chopped
1 lemon, juiced, rind finely grated
2 tsp castor sugar
1/2 cup dry white wine
1.5kg mussels, cleaned and washed
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped


How to:

1. Heat oil in large, deep saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and chilli. Cook, stirring for 3 minutes or until onion is soft. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add tomato, lemon juice and grated rind, sugar and wine to pan. Stir until well combined. Increase heat to high. Bring sauce to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer, uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes or until thick. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add mussels to sauce. Cover and cook, shaking pan occasionally for 3 to 5 minutes or until mussel shells open. Discard unopened shells. Ladle sauce and mussels into bowls. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with bread.

Labels: seafood, she cooks