Maurizio Bosetti, culinary director and executive chef at Il Borro Tuscan Bistro, Jumeirah Al Naseem Hotel says: "My key ingredient is the tomato, especially the cherry or plum tomato. At the restaurant, we use more than 20 kilograms of tomatoes per day. They are delicious either raw or cooked into a sauce, sometimes more sweet, sometimes more sour, and are always easy to prepare. Traditionally, Italian cuisine uses tomatoes as a base for a number of recipes – from pappa al pomodoro [a soup] and pici all'aglione [a pasta dish], to mussels alla Livornese. This is one of the dishes that is featured in The Italian Way Experience menu, which I have especially curated, and is available this month at Il Borro Tuscan Bistro."
Mussels alla Livornese
Serves 2
Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
20g garlic
50g red onion
Red chilli, to taste
300g clams
400g mussels
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 tbsp fresh cherry-tomato sauce
100ml vegetable stock
Basil to taste
Tuscan bread croutons
Method
Heat the olive oil, and sauté the garlic, onion and chilli.
Add the clams and mussels, and season with black pepper and salt.
Pour in the fresh tomato sauce and vegetable stock, and bring to a boil.
Cover with a lid and stir occasionally.
Add basil and serve with toasted Tuscan croutons.
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Read more:
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