Directions

1. Grill the sausage until it is 80% of the way cooked (don’t worry it will finish cooking in the broth)
2. Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 5 minutes, drain and hold for cooking
3. Rinse the mussels in cold water, examine them for broken/cracked shells and if there are any beards that need to be cleaned off, drain them and hold for cooking
4. Use a large sided sauté pan and heat it on medium heat with the olive oil in the pan
5. Once the oil is hot (you start to see a shimmer on top of it) add the onions and season lightly with salt and pepper
6. Once the onions start to caramelize, add the sausage and tomatoes, stir so they don’t burn and cook for 1 minutes
7. Add the mussels and stir gently so you don’t break the shells
8. Once the mussels start to open add the garlic, shallots, tarragon and pepper flakes, stirring gently for 30-60 seconds, just until the aromatics become very fragrant
9. Now add the beer and simmer the mussels for 5 minutes or so in the beer
10. Mussels have a very light flavor, but they absorb the flavors you cook them in, you want to gently reduce the liquid, so the mussels don’t get overcooked and you don’t cook the beer down too far
11. Now add the butter and allow it melt, about 2 minutes
12. Stir the butter in, check for the salt and pepper seasoning and serve with some grilled bread, over a bed of pasta, rice or just as they are for a great appetizer using all Washington products