Mussels and Tofu in Sweet Smoked Paprika Sauce

Today is Ash Wednesday which starts the Season of Lent for Christians around the world. For many, Lenten traditions include fasting and/or abstaining from certain food. I grew up observing the Catholic tradition of abstaining from meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays of Lent. I know that many Catholics whether Filipino or non-Filipino observe this. To make it a little easier for my readers who do, I'll be sharing non-meat (by meat, we only mean beef, chicken and pork...fish and seafood are not included) recipes starting today and in the next Fridays within the 40-day period of Lent. This is what I did last year, and many found it helpful so I'm doing it again.

Let me start with this mussels recipe that I came up using the smoked paprika powder that I received from La Chinata two weeks ago.  

You see, I am a fan of paprika...but only the regular or plain kind. I like how it adds color and flavor to fish, shrimps and meat. The McCormick brand is what I buy most of the time. I've also used store brand ones like that of Kroger & Walmart...but I honestly have never tried high quality brands nor other varieties of it like the pimentón de La Vera (smoked) kind nor the dulce (sweet and mild), agridulce (bittersweet and medium hot) and picante (hot) ones. 

La Chinata offered to send me samples of their Sweet and Hot Smoked Paprika Powder, and I accepted. I haven't seen this brand in nearby stores so I thought this would be a good chance to try it out.

 

From the moment I opened the can, I already smelled the difference. Unlike the regular paprika, this La Chinata paprika powder which was made from Capsicum annum and longum peppers that are dried by smoking using oak wood, has of course a distinct smoky aroma. 

Yesterday, I made this Mussels and Tofu in Paprika Sauce. This is a very easy to prepare mussel dish which I came up from the simple ingredients I have in the refrigerator. For this, I used the sweet smoked paprika that I got because I didn't want it to be too strong for my daughters. I must say it worked really well on this dish. It was just an experiment, but since it came out good, I want to share it with you. The mild smoky flavor of La Chinata Sweet Smoked Paprika brought the ordinary mussels to a different level.

So, did I like La Chinata Smoked Paprika Powder? Yes! Will I recommend it? Yes! But let me tell you that in choosing the paprika for your dish, you should consider what kind of flavor you want for it. You should decide first whether you want it sweet or hot, mild or pungent, and from there you can choose what paprika variety you prefer. 

I haven't tried other brands of smoked paprika so I am in no position to say if La Chinata is the best. But if just for the smoky flavor and aroma, it's good enough and I will definitely recommend it.  If you want to try it for yourself, you can check out CASA PONS USA and La Tienda.

Ingredients: 

• 24 pcs. mussels in half shells, (I used boxed mussels that are already in half shells. If you want to use fresh mussels, blanch them in boiling water until the shells open. Take off half the shell and use the half that has the mussel in it.)
• 3 Tbsp pure olive oil 
• 2 pcs. firm tofu, cut into 1-inch strips and fried 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 2 Tbsp ginger, minced 
• 1 medium sized onion, minced
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour 
• 2 Tbsp smoked paprika
• ¾ cup water 
• 2 pcs. Jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and sliced into rings
• 5 stalks green onions, bias-sliced into about 1 inch pieces
• ½ Tbsp parsley flakes for garnish
• salt and pepper

Procedure: 

1. In a big skillet over medium heat, saute garlic, ginger and onion in olive oil until onion is almost translucent. 

2. Add mussels. Saute until juice starts to come out. Sprinkle with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Mix well. Cover and simmer for 3-5 minutes or until mussels are fully cooked. Transfer mussels to a plate, leaving the the sauce in the pan.

3. Add flour to the sauce while stirring until sauce thickens. Add paprika and stir. Slowly add water and continue to stir until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to suit your taste.

4. Add tofu, jalapeño and green onions. Mix well with other ingredients. Simmer for another minute. Put the mussels back into the pan and mix well until covered with sauce.

5. Remove from heat. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with parsley flakes. Serve with steamed rice.

 

Pin It