Vodka may be primarily thought of as a base for cocktails but it is a delight always accompanied by food.
Serving as the base for the sharable plate, a chunky garlic-tomato sauce—creamy and a touch spicy from the peppery vodka—balances the lightly salty, tender mussels. A few large slices of crusty oiled and grilled bread are your vehicle to soak up all that glorious sauce at the bottom.
Start by melting the butter in a large pan. Add in the garlic and chopped onion and cook on medium-high heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Next, pour in the canned tomatoes, vodka, cayenne, paprika and sugar. Bring to a simmer, reduce to medium heat and let cook,uncovered, for 20 minutes.
2. After simmering, add the chopped artichoke hearts, lemon zest and juice to the sauce and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. After 5 minutes, season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Finally, turn to medium-high heat, toss in the mussels, cover and cook until the shellfish pop open, about 3-4 minutes. Pour the piping hot mussels and sauce into a large serving platter and devour with friends.
