Entree: Montenegro – National Cuisine – Buzara (Adriatic-style garlic, white wine and tomato-braised shellfish)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 10 min

Cook 13 min

Total 25 min

Ingredients

- 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
- 2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter
- 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
- 4 cloves (approx. 12 g) garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp (2 g) red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 cup (240 ml) dry white wine
- 1 cup (240 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 lb (900 g) mussels, cleaned and debearded
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) fish stock or water
- 2 tbsp (8 g) chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Crusty bread for serving

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large deep skillet or sauté pan over medium heat until butter melts.
2. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
3. Stir in the cherry tomatoes and cook 2–3 minutes until they begin to soften. Pour in the white wine and fish stock and bring to a brisk simmer; reduce for 3–4 minutes to concentrate flavors.
4. Increase heat to high, add the cleaned mussels, cover the pan, and cook until the mussels open, about 5–7 minutes. Shake the pan once or twice during cooking to distribute heat.
5. Remove from heat, discard any mussels that did not open. Stir in lemon juice and parsley, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and spoon sauce over the mussels.
6. Serve immediately with crusty bread to mop up the broth.