Recipe: Garlic Clove BBQ-Steamed Mussels

For Canadian summers, it is really all about maximizing your time outside. And if you're hosting a party, don't even try to keep people indoors! When I received the ALL-CLAD Rectangular Outdoor Stainless Steel Roaster and ALL-CLAD Round Outdoor Stainless Steel Grill Basket, I saw them as a beautiful challenge. Gone are the days of losing your veggie slices down the grates with these guys, but what's a grill recipe that people haven't seen before that would also boost time to mingle with your loved ones outdoors? Enter, bbq-steamed mussels. The baskets work double duty by cooking the dish's two main elements on the grill. 1) Not only are they perfect for keeping the garlic safe (no oil spillage here) in one place during the roasting process, but 2) they're also great vessel for the bounty of mussels with small enough holes to not lose flavour bombs like the roasted garlic. 3) Makes for a cute, presentational serving tray as well, which means less dishes to wash. And 4) the fact that you can cook this entire recipe outside without running in to check on the oven or sweat over the stove means more time for YOU. Make that quadruple duty. 

So! This summer, I challenge you to look at your BBQ a different way- a springboard of potential! Get outside, grab a basket and try to cook your whole dinner of the grill until Labour Day. 

Ingredients: 

2lbs of mussels, scrubbed

2 lemons

2-3 Bulbs of garlic 

2 small san marzano or plum tomato, diced 

1/4 cup of chopped flat leaf parsley 

1 baguette 

Olive oil 

Salt and pepper 

Cooking Instructions: 

1. Wrap each garlic bulb tight in tin foil with a glug of olive oil and pinch of salt & pepper. 
2. Place in the ALL-CLAD Rectangular Outdoor Stainless Steel Roaster and/or ALL-CLAD Round Outdoor Stainless Steel Grill Basket and roast in the closed barbecue at 450 degrees for thirty minutes. 
3. Once garlic has caramelized and cooled, remove cloves and keep them whole, and set aside. 
4. Wash mussels and dispose of any that are no longer alive (a.k.a. the shell is open, cracked, etc.). Pro tip! Before you throw out an open mussel, give it a light double tap. If it then closes, it's still alive. If it stays open, toss 'er. 
5. In a bowl, mix tomatoes with the juice of one lemon, parsley, glug of olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted garlic gloves. 
6. Add mixture to mussels and gently stir together, draining and reserving the excess liquid in an oven-safe ramekin. 
7. Place ramekin in the centre of the basket and arrange mussels around it, which will later create a steaming effect.
8. Place basket back on the grill at 400 for 5ish minutes, or until the mussels open up. Halfway through, baste the mussles with sauce.
9. Place a plate or cutting board under the baskets for serving and drizzle with olive oil. Feel free to also drizzle the leftover liquid and toss together, if you desire more sauciness. 
10. Slice your second lemon and grill lemon slices, then serve with toasted bread and fresh parsley garnish on top.  

In partnership with All-Clad Canada.