(Recipe courtesy of Blondie’s Plate Restaurant in Sequim)

Mussels in Spicy Tomato Pesto

1 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup roasted tomato pesto

(see recipe below)

3 cloves garlic, crushed

3 sprigs of thyme

1 lemon wedge, seeded

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon chopped

green onion

15 mussels

Combine white wine, tomato pesto, garlic, thyme, lemon, crushed red pepper and butter in a sauté pan and bring to a boil. Add mussels to boiling broth. Remove mussels from broth after they open. Continue to reduce broth until about two-thirds remains or until desired thickness. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour broth over mussels and sprinkle with green onions. Makes 1-2 servings.

Roasted Tomato Pesto

6 Roma tomatoes

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

dried oregano

dried basil

salt and pepper

Slice tomatoes into 1/2-inch disks and

line a baking sheet. Generously sprinkle the tomatoes with salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Pour olive oil over tomatoes, just enough to coat them. Bake in a 375-degree oven for about 2 hours or until tomatoes are dried and slightly darkened. After tomatoes have cooled, pulse them in a food processor until they reach a pesto consistency.

Blondie’s Plate is a restaurant at 134 S. Second Ave. in Sequim serving small plates of Northwest Contemporary Cuisine. Owners Kim and Rick McDougal opened the restaurant in July. Kim always has enjoyed dining tapas-style with the sharing of “small plates” so patrons can try lots of different flavors. Blondie’s serves fresh, local seafoods, vegetables from Nash’s Organic Produce and Pane d’Amore breads. An intimate yet comfortable bar serves “Top Shelf” libations.

Kim McDougal said Executive Chef Nick Dorcy takes contemporary fun dishes and cranks them up about 10 notches, including Mac N Cheese, Fried Chicken with Parmesan Cream Sauce, Burger Sliders and Fries and Gravy. Hours are 4-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 4-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday, with Half-off Happy Hour specials from 4-5 p.m. daily.