Mussels with White Wine and Herbs



Not everyone cooks mussels at home, but if you are a fan of these beauties, try cooking your own and you will be highly rewarded.  If mussels are a new ingredient in your kitchen, this classic french recipe is a great introduction. With few ingredients, little expense, and minimal preparation, you will be eating a steaming bowl of mussels in less than a half hour.

The bright flavor of spring onions from our garden, the crisp mineral of the wine, and the briny taste of the mussels were enough to entice our six year old to devour at least a half dozen of these lovelies.

"Tastes like the ocean", we all agreed.




INGREDIENTS
adapted from Patricia Wells's Bistro Cooking
  • 2 pounds fresh mussels
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 bunch spring onion (or one large onion), minced
  • 1/2 celery stalk, minced
  • 1 sprig of fresh thyme
  • fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 bunch parsley



Rinse and scrub mussels with cold water. Remove beard by simply snipping with scissors.

In a Dutch Oven or large pot, combine mussels, thyme, white wine, celery, and onions. Bring liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook covered about 5 minutes until mussels shells open. Toss out any mussels that don't open after cooking.

Immediately serve mussels in their shells. Either sop up the liquid with crusty bread or heap mussels and their cooking liquid on top of fettuccine. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and lots of fresh pepper. Eat right away.

Why don't we make mussels more often?

Serves 2-4


11 comments:

  1. I love...love...love mussels!!!
    cook them for special occasions, but yes... have to start making them more often! There is nothing like the taste of the ocean :)

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  2. Mussels are great -we used to pick them off the rocks in Cornwall, soak them and eat them that day with a similar sauce to this. They really do taste of the ocean!

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  3. Plucking mussels off the rocks of Cornwall is such a dreamy image!

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  4. Mmmm mussels I could eat bucketfuls of these. Great photos.

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  5. Special occasions call for something special, and these will fit the bill at our anniversary party! Thanks for the easy recipe.

    jessyburke88@gmail.com

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  6. I prefer clams to mussels and that should work with clams too, right?

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  7. Thanks for all the comments. I so appreciate hearing from you all.
    Tigerfish, not sure about substituting clams. Honestly, I really like eating steamers at restaurants but I have never cooked them at home.

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  8. We love mussels and make them at home as often as we can. Mussels are also sustainable, and so good for you, not to mention incredibly tasty that you can't lose. Looks delicious (especially with a glass of nice white wine).

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  9. This is one of my favorite dishes ever. I love scooping up the liquid in the shells, slurping with delight. Just looking over your pictures I can taste them, smell them and feel them on my tongue.

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  10. I've had mussels on the brain lately. Your post is yet another sign that it's time to satisfy the craving!

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So good to hear from you... I appreciate each and every note you leave for me!

Thanks,
E