Smokey White Beans

Walking through Zabar's food market in New York City recently, I noticed the the smoked fish counter was being swarmed by customers picking up freshly smoked mussels from Maine.  I joined the fray for this seasonal treat.

Smoked mussels come preserved in cans but these need to be refrigerated and eaten soon.  They are great on a plain cracker or chopped and mixed with cream cheese and sour cream or yogurt for a quick dip. Soma sites recommend tossing them with hot pasta.  I found one more way to use them -- stirred into white bean soup they lend the smokey touch that kielbasa or other smoked meats like bacon gives to beans.

No recipe just stir in your smoked mussels once the bean soup is nice and hot. This works for freshly made or soup made from canned beans.  If you miss the dish during the winter, open a can of smoked mussels, drain most of the oil and add to hot beans.