Spaghetti and Shrimpballs with Mussels

Oh so delish. It may seem like this dish is complex but really it isn't and it's the type of thing you'd get in a restaurant for 30.00$. It made date night at home extra special.

Prep first: boil your spaghetti noodles and set aside. Clean your mussels and discard any open or cracked ones. Set aside.

For the Shrimpballs:
In a food processor, pulse together a bag of clean, thawed shrimp with 3 cloves garlic, small handful cilantro, salt pepper and bread crumbs until the mixture has the consistency of ground beef. Set in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to make balls.

For the broth:
In a soup pot, heat up olive oil and lightly fry a shallot and 5-6 cloves of minced garlic.
Deglaze the pot with a cup of white wine and bring to a simmer.
Add a cube of garlic stock, a cup of strained tomato liquid and a bottle of clam juice.
Add about a cup of water with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, a piece of lemon, a bunch of basil and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Now for cooking the shrimpballs: form your balls about golf size, and set on a plate. Once they are all made, place in your broth and cook for 6 minutes or so. Remove.
Next add mussels to the broth, cover and cook for 8 minutes until they open.

Ready to eat? Place some noodles in a bowl, with a few shrimpballs and pour the hot broth and mussels over top. Sprinkle a few basil leaves and parm cheese over top.


Moolicious!