Mussels

Mussels are sort of like chili. Well, not really. But there are endless ways to make them and the ingredients/flavors are really up to whomever is making them. All you need is some sort of liquid to steam open the mussels. Other than that, its up to you. In level 1 at school we had a shellfish day, where we prepared mussels using white wine, shallots and parsley. Pretty boring if you ask me. I felt like screaming,"Where's the garlic?!" For a memorial day party, we wanted to do moules frites (mussels and fries), so this was a perfect opportunity to make mussels the right way. If you look for recipes for mussels, you'll find ones that use curry, lemongrass, heavy cream, fennel seeds, coconut, among many others. I decided to use shallots, lots of garlic, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, white wine, parsley and tomatoes. And of course you need some crusty bread to soak up that amazing leftover sauce. Unfortunately, I was too busy to taste any of them, but I think its safe to say that empty bowls, smiling faces and most importantly, a newly converted mussel enthusiast, means you did a good job.

Whenever cooking mussels, there are two rules of thumb. First, any mussels that are open before cooking should by squeezed or tapped lightly. If they are alive (and they should be if you're planing on eating them), they should close when tapped or squeezed. Any that do not, should be discarded. Second, after cooking, if any do not open, they should also be discarded.

• Servings for 4-6
  


• 2 1/2 lbs fresh mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded*.
  


• 4 Large Garlic Cloves, chopped
  


• 1 cup dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc


• 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
  


• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley 
  


• 1/2 cup chopped seeded tomatoes, seeds and cores removed.
  


• 3 tablespoons olive oil
  


• 1/2 cup chopped shallots
  


• 2 lemons, one juiced, one sliced or cut into wedges for garnish 

1. Add oil to stock pot and turn to medium heat. 
   


2. When oil is hot, add shallots and sweat for 3 minutes or so. Do not allow shallots to brown. 
   


3. Add garlic, red pepper flakes and salt. Cook for another minute or so.
   


4. Add white wine, parsley, tomatoes and lemon juice and bring to light boil. Add mussels. 
   


5. Cover pot and allow mussels to open. Stir or shake pan a few times during cooking. Approximately 6 minutes. Remove mussels with slotted spoon and reduce sauce until fully flavored.
   


6. Make sure to remove any mussels that did not open. Pour mussels and remaining sauce into bowl. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon slices. Serve with warm bread. 

* Scrub and clean mussels to remove any barnacles or grit. If sandy, mussels should be soaked in salted cold water for a couple hours. If mussels are cultivated, this step is probably unnecessary.  De-beard mussels by pulling off any protruding filaments. This will cause mussels to spoil or die, so it should not be done until a few hours before use.