Mussels and Fries Americain

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium Spanish onion
• coarsely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• coarsely chopped
• 2 poblano chiles
• roasted
• peeled
• seeded (see page 250)
• and pureed
• 2 cups bottled clam juice
• 1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
• 1 to 2 tablespoons honey
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 pounds cultivated black mussels
• scrubbed and debearded
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Fries Americain (page 164; optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or medium pot over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
4. Add the poblano puree and clam juice and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
5. Add the coconut milk and simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
6. Transfer the mixture to a blender, add the spinach and honey, season with salt and pepper, and blend the green chile broth until smooth.
7. Rinse out the pot and return to the stove over high heat.
8. Add the wine, bring to a boil, and reduce by half, 3 minutes.
9. Add the green chile broth and bring to a boil.
10. Stir in the mussels, cover the pot, and cook until the mussels open, 4 to 5 minutes.
11. Discard any that do not open.
12. Add the parsley and season with salt and pepper.
13. Spoon the mussels and broth into bowls and serve with the fries on the side if desired.