This savoury, creamy pasta is a symphony of Canadian flavours. The beer adds a crispness to the rich sauce. We recommend a light, refreshing microbrew ale or lager. Thanks to the way PEI mussels are grown and harvested, they rarely have beards or grit inside them, so cleaning them just means giving them a good rinse.
ingredients
directions
Cook the linguine according to the package directions until al dente; drain.
Rinse the mussels. Discard any that don’t close when you tap them firmly on the counter; set aside.
In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Fry the chopped bacon until it’s crisp, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pan to a paper towel and let drain.
Add the onion and celery to the fat in the pan.Cook stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the beer and bring to a boil.
Add the mussels then reduce the heat.Cover and simmer until the mussels open, about 6 minutes. Discard any that do not open. With the slotted spoon, remove the mussels to a bowl. Add the cream, tarragon, salt and pepper to the pan. Boil until the liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
Add pasta and mussels to the pan, and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the parsley and bacon.