Mussels with Harissa and Basil

Ingredients

• 2 medium-size red bell peppers (about 3/4 pound), halved

• 1 medium-size (7-ounce) white onion, unpeeled, quartered lengthwise

• 2 1/2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided

• 2 medium garlic cloves, unpeeled

• 1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts

• 1 small dried Thai chile, stem removed

• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 1/2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 3/4 cup harissa (such as Mina)

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup roughly torn fresh Thai basil leaves

• 1/2 cup Pickled Red Onion Petals

Description

1. Preheat oven to broil with oven rack in middle of oven. Rub bell pepper halves and 2 onion quarters with 1 teaspoon olive oil. (Reserve remaining onion quarters for another use.) Arrange bell pepper halves and onion quarters, cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil in preheated oven until bell peppers are well charred, about 15 minutes, adding garlic to baking sheet halfway through broiling. Place bell peppers, onion, and garlic in a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature until vegetables are cool enough to handle and bell peppers are softened, about 10 minutes. Remove and discard garlic skins and charred skin from bell peppers and onion.