Mussels in Cilantro, Tomato and Serrano Cream Sauce

I adapted this recipe many years ago from The Great California Cookbook (1993). The dish hails from Julio Ramirez of The Fishwife, El Cocodrilo restaurants in Pacific Grove.  At first I was skeptical about adding cream to mussels, thinking it would be too rich, but the end results were totally not and finger-lickin' delicious. A total keeper!

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 dozen mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1/2 cup white wine

1/4 cup heavy cream
3-4 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 serrano chilies, chopped

Warm French bread or baguettes

1. Heat olive oil and butter in a large saute pan. Add shallots, garlic, mussels and wine. Cover and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes or until the mussels have opened. Remove lid and discard any mussels that haven't opened. 

2. Reduce the remaining liquid in the pan by half. Add the heavy cream, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and serrano chilies. Cook another 1-2 minutes. 

3. Remove the mussels from the pan and arrange on a serving platter. Continue cooking the sauce until it is reduced by half. Pour sauce over the mussels and serve with French bread on the side.