Andouille Sausage and Mussel Stew

For our second day of Soup Month 2014 we made a spicy Andouille Sausage and Mussel stew.  Mussels are one of my favorite varieties of shellfish and this dish is a great way to highlight their delicate flavor.

Andouille sausage, which is a type of smoked sausage, is becoming quite popular and is available in a variety of flavors at most supermarkets.  We chose a Cajun variety but any type of Andouille or spicy smoked sausage would work well.

This stew has a rich, flavorful broth similar to the classic San Francisco Cioppino, and is accented with the spices from the sausage and the slight sweetness from the mussels.  We chose Yukon gold potatoes for this stew because they tend to hold their shape and not crumble while cooking and they helped turn this into a hearty one-pot meal.

The stew can be ready to serve in just over 30 minutes and the only things you need to complete this meal are a loaf of crusty French bread, for soaking up all of that delicious broth, and a nice glass of white wine.

14 oz  Andouille Sausage (we used a Cajun variety), casings removed, sausage diced
1 TB  Minced Garlic
1 small  Onion, finely diced
3 cups  Chicken Broth
1-1/4 cups  Dry White Wine
5 - 6 medium  Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and diced
14.5 oz can  Diced Tomatoes with Onion and Garlic
1 tsp  Red Pepper Flakes
1 tsp  Salt
1 tsp  Ground Black Pepper
2 lbs  Fresh Mussels, cleaned and beards removed

In a large pot over medium-high heat, brown the sausage for about 5 minutes or until it is beginning to brown.

Add the garlic and onion to the pot and saute 4 minutes until tender.

Add the broth and wine to the pot and stir, then add the potatoes, tomatoes, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  Continue to cook the stew over medium-high heat until the potatoes are just barely fork tender, but not fully cooked, about 8 minutes.

Add the mussels to the pot, pushing the mussels gently down into the stew, cover and simmer for about 6 minutes or until the mussels are opened.  Uncover the stew and remove any mussels that did not open and discard.

Ladle the stew into wide soup bowls and serve with lots of crusty French bread.  Enjoy!!