Trained in Paris, Chef Charlie Socher’s head chef position in the Chicago area was at The Chardonnay, where he earned a 3½-star rating from the Chicago Tribune. Charlie opened Café Matou in Chicago in 1997, and there he serves such delicacies as the recipe below, for mussels in a vegetable broth that can be made from locally grown peppers, scallions, herbs, and tomatoes.
Ingredients
2 lbs. mussels
2 lbs. tomatoes, skinned, seeded, and chopped
2 sweet peppers, seeded, and chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
4 scallions, sliced cross-wise
¼ teaspoon saffron (optional)
2 ounces extra virgin olive oil
2 ounces small pasta, e.g., orzo, anelli, cooked according to instructions
8 oz. dry white wine
8 oz. stock (fish, chicken, or vegetable)
4 oz. fresh herbs, e.g., basil, thyme, oregano, dill, tarragon, mint, parsley
4 oz. parmesan, grated
Directions
Heat oil in large sauce pan; add scallions and garlic; cook for 1 minute at medium high
heat.
Add peppers; cook for 1 minute at medium high heat.
Add tomatoes and saffron; cook for 1 minute at medium high heat.
Add stock and wine; bring to a boil, uncovered.
Add mussels; cover and cook on medium high to high heat until mussels open.
Add pasta and chopped herbs.
Toss lightly to combine.
Serve in bowls with parmesan on the side.