Mussels in White Wine

I know that cooking mussels can feel intimidating. We tend to eat them only at restaurants as a special treat. But mussels are so fast and easy to make!

I bought my Mussels at Costco. But usually your local grocery will have a seafood section.

Mussels should smell briny, like the sea. If they smell bad don't buy them.

The shells should be tightly closed. If a shell is open, give it a firm tap on the counter. If it closes, it means it's still alive and safe to eat. If it doesn't close, don't buy it.

Don't buy mussels if their shells are cracked.

Leftover mussels, don't reheat it. Eat it cold.

I would eat it with a fresh baguette, to soak some of the yummy broth :)

Ingredients:

4 lbs. mussels, cleaned

2 tablespoons butter (olive oil, for dairy-free)

1 small shallot, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup dry white wine

Juice from a lemon

2 tablespoons finely minced parsley

1. Put all mussels in a colander, run in cold water.

2. Remove the beard, or de-beard the mussels, grab the beard and pull it towards the tail (narrow) end of the mussel. Most of the time it will come out with a firm tug. If not, you can cut it with a pair of scissors as close to the shell as possible.

3. Scrub the debris. Throw away cracked shells.

4. Start by choosing a large pot with a tight fitting lid. Mussels will take up about 1/3 more space in the pot once they're opened. You want to steam the mussels and not boil them.

5. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and garlic and let them cook for 3 minutes. Add the bay leaves, pepper, and wine to the pot and bring the wine to a boil.

6. Then bring the liquid to a rapid boil, add the mussels all at once, and put the lid on the pot. Now, set a timer for 3 minutes. When the timer goes off, gently stir the mussels and push any that have not opened to the bottom of the pot. Being closer to the heat helps them to open.

7. Let the mussels cook for 2 minutes more (5 minutes total) then remove the pot from the heat and discard any shells that have not opened.

Enjoy!