A Taste of North Africa
from Gypsy Kitchen

Warm weather ushers in the fresh flavors of spring like spring peas, mint and asparagus. But spring also means saying farewell to a few of our favorite cold weather foods like mussels and oysters. Get your last bite of mussels with a recipe for Hot Mussels from Executive Chef Matthew Ridgway of Gypsy Kitchen in Atlanta, Georgia. The dishes at Gypsy Kitchen are inspired by the cuisine of Spain, Morocco and India infused with rich spices from the region like cardamom, garam masala and cinnamon, all toasted and hand chopped or ground for maximum flavor.

Chef Ridgway’s recipe for Hot Mussels are made with a delicious combination of creamy coconut milk, ginger and lime leaves simmered to make a broth for the mussels cooked with chorizo sausage and red lentils. “Gypsy Kitchen’s hot mussels with red lentils, chorizo, torn basil and coconut milk is the meeting of Portuguese pork and mussels and North African cuisine,” says Chef Ridgway. Also included in the recipe is a bit of mint, making a tasty recipe to ease you into the new season.