New Orleans Style Mussels

Serves 2 as an appetizer

I love mussels but I love the mixture they are cooked in even more. Something about the juice that comes out of those bad boys brings your sauce game from great to amazeballs!

1 tbl. EVOO
2 lbs mussels, scrubbed clean
¼ cup tasso ham, medium diced
¼ cup black eyed peas, cooked or canned
1 ea. garlic clove, minced
1 tbl. shallots, minced
¼ ea. red bell pepper, medium diced
1 tsp. thyme, fresh chopped
½ cup lobster stock (any seafood stock would work or even water if you had to)
1 tbl. lemon juice
1 tsp. cajun spice
1 tsp. lemon pepper
1 tsp. Zatarain's spice
1 tsp. hot sauce

Sautéed garlic, tasso ham, shallots & bell peppers in EVOO until soft then add mussels and cook for 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients and cook until mussels are open & cooked. Finish with black eyed peas & serve in a bowl with crusty bread.