Carlsbad Aqua Farm Black Mussel Chowder
Paprika Herb Croutons
Serves 6

Mussel Soup
5 pounds Carlsbad Aqua Farm black  mussels, scrubbed, de-bearded 
1 cup white wine
3 kaffir lime leaves
3 sprigs thyme
1 pod star anise
1/4 cup olive oil
1 bulb fennel, chopped
1 chopped white onion
1 chopped small leek
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups peeled, diced sweet potatoes
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 quart half and half
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup dry sack sherry
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley 
to taste sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Soak mussels in cold water for 30 minutes to purge the sand. Add wine, lime leaf, thyme and star anise to large sauce pot over high heat. Bring to a boil. Add mussels. Cover. Cook 3 minutes without opening the lid. Then, rotate mussels from bottom to top using slotted spoon to cook evenly. Cook additional 3 minutes or until mussels open. Transfer mussels to large bowl, discarding any that do not open. Remove meat from shell. Reserve 12 mussels and shells for garnish. Cut remaining mussels into quarters. Set aside. Strain liquid through fine sieve. Set aside. Add olive oil to large sauce pan over medium heat. Add fennel, onion, leeks, and garlic. Cook 3 minutes without browning, stirring often. Add potatoes, reserved mussel liquid, turmeric and half and half. Bring to simmer. Cook 10 minutes. Whisk cornstarch and sherry in small mixing bowl. Stir into chowder. Simmer 5 minutes. Fold in chopped mussels. Season to taste.

Herb Croutons
6 slices multigrain bread, crust removed, cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss all ingredients together in large mixing bowl. Transfer to baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes or until golden.

Presentation
12 reserved mussels and shells
6 sprigs fresh dill
Ladle soup into warm bowls. Garnish with mussels, shells, croutons and dill.

Julian Hard Cider Steamed Carlsbad Aqua Farm Black Mussels
Apple Wood Smoked Bacon
Serves 6 family style

4 pounds black mussels, beard removed, scrubbed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup diced apple wood smoked bacon
1 cup diced eggplant
1/4 cup chopped shallots
2 portobello mushrooms, stemmed, gills removed, diced
1 cup diced leeks, white part only, washed
12 ounces hard cider
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 lemon, zested
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1 loaf sourdough bread
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
to taste sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Soak mussels in cold water for 30 minutes to purge sand. Preheat broiler to medium high. Cut bread into 1-inch thick slices. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Toast under broiler on both sides until golden. Transfer to bread basket. Keep warm. Transfer mussels to colander. Add olive oil to large stockpot over medium heat. Add bacon, eggplant, shallots, mushrooms and leeks. Cook 5 minutes without browning, stirring often. Add mussels, cider, fennel seed, lemon zest and black pepper. Raise heat to high. Cover. Cook 5 minutes or until liquid starts to boil. Uncover. Using slotted spoon, rotate mussels from bottom to top to ensure even cooking. Add cream. Cover. Cook additional 5 minutes or until shells open. Sprinkle mussels with parsley. Serve with toasted sourdough bread.

Baked North Pacific Oysters
Lump Crab Meat, Meyer Lemon Hollandaise
Serves 12

Oysters
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped leeks, white part only
1/4 cup finely diced fennel
1/2 cup lump crab meat, shelled
3 tablespoons crème Fraîche
to taste sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 fresh raw oysters, washed
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Pre-heat oven to 375F. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and fennel. Cook 5 minutes without browning, stirring often. Transfer to mixing bowl. Refrigerate until chilled. Fold in crab meat and crème fraîche. Season with salt and pepper. Shuck oysters, discarding top shells. Remove all shell fragments from meat. Transfer oysters to baking sheet. Place generous mound of crab meat mixture on each oyster. Combine bread crumbs, olive oil and parsley in small mixing bowl. Sprinkle generously on top of crabmeat. Bake 8 minutes or until warm in center.

Hollandaise
1/3 cup Sauvignon Blanc wine
3 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
4 large egg yolks
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 cup unsalted melted butter, hot
to taste sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 
Add ice wine and lemon juice to sauce pan over medium heat. Reduce to 1/4 cup. Cool to room temperature. Transfer to blender. Add egg yolks and cayenne. Blend at medium speed until frothy. With blender running, pour in hot butter in slow steady stream. Blend 20 seconds or until thick and smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving dish.

Presentation
1 cup rock salt
2 chives
Cut chives on bias into twelve 1-inch sticks. Spread rock salt evenly on warm serving platter. Arrange oysters on platter. Top with chive sticks. Serve with Hollandaise.

Carlsbad Aqua Farm Oysters Taste of 4
Natural, Aquavit Apple, Pisco Lime, Tangerine sake
serves six

Natural
6 oysters 
1/2 cup kosher salt
1 egg white
Combine kosher salt and egg white in mixing bowl.  Shuck oysters.  Leave on half shell.  Remove debris without losing any sea water.  Oysters sit on egg white and salt mixture, looks like snow.  Set aside. 

Pisco Lime
6 oysters
1/2 cup pisco
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon finely chopped mint 
2 Tablespoons peeled, seeded, finely diced cucumber
2 Tablespoons peeled, seeded, finely diced mango
Shuck oysters.  Remove from shell.  Clean. Place in shot glasses.  Reserve sea water in small mixing bowl.  Combine with remaining ingredients.  Divide mixture among shot glasses.

Aquavit Apple
6 oysters
1/2 cup aquavit
1/4 cup pickled ginger juice
1/4 cup peeled, cored, finely diced green apple
1 Tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
pinch cayenne pepper
Shuck oysters.  Remove from shell.  Clean. Place in shot glasses.  Reserve sea water in small mixing bowl.  Combine with remaining ingredients.  Divide mixture among shot glasses.

Tangerine sake
6 oysters
1/3 cup tangerines, juiced
1/3 cup  dry sake
1 Tablespoon honey
1/4 cup peeled, cored, finely diced asian pear  
1 Tablespoon minced shiso leaves   
1/8 teaspoon Togarashi pepper  Shuck oysters.  Remove from shell.  Clean. Place in shot glasses.  Reserve sea water in small mixing bowl.  Combine with remaining ingredients.  Divide mixture among shot glasses.

Presentation
Divide salt mixture among 6 rectangular plates.  Form into stand.  Top with oyster on half shell.   Line up pisco lime, aquavit apple and tangerine sake shooters along oyster on half shell.  Serve chilled .