Mussels in Wine with Garlic and Saffron
When purchasing mussels you want them to be closed (or they close when you tap on their shells), but once they are cooked, they must be open or they aren’t safe to eat.
- 1 kilogram fresh, live mussels (about 2 lbs)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter, we prefer unsalted
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 shallots, peeled and minced (about 65g)
- 240 milliliters white wine, sauvignon blanc or pinot gris/grigio (about 1 c)
- 1 pinch saffron threads (optional)
- salt & freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped or torn (about 10g)
- Prep the mussels
This is the "hardest" part of this recipe. Rinse the mussels to get anything like dust and muck off the outside of the shells. Next you need to remove the 'beards': with one hand hold onto the shell of the mussel, and use the other hand to grab the mossy beard sticking out to one side. Pull the beard down towards the hinge of the mussel and it will pull out/off. After you've de-bearded all the mussels, have a look to see if there are any little pieces you missed and to make sure that each mussel is closed or closes when you tap on the shell.
- Cooking the Mussels
If you're having guests for dinner, be prepped with your mussels cleaned and garlic/shallots/parsley chopped and ready to go because the cooking should happen right before you sit down to eat.
Heat a pot that is big enough to hold all of the mussels and that has a good lid (you're actually steaming so you don't want an ill-fitting lid here). Heat the pot over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. When the butter has melted, add the garlic and shallots and sauté to soften but not brown. When soft, add the wine and saffron and turn the heat up a bit to bring the mixture to a simmer.
Add all of the mussels to the pot, give it a quick toss and put the lid on the pot. Let it cook for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, lift the lid and you should see all the mussels open and the liquid bubbling away. If they aren't open, put the lid back on for another 2 minutes or so. Add salt, pepper and parsley and give it all a good stir. Serve your mussels on warmed plates with a lip or bowls so that you can serve the pot liquor up as well. Dip crusty bread into the liquor for a lovely treat.
- Other ideas/flavourings
*omit the saffron, use vegetable, chicken or prawn stock instead of wine, add lemongrass chunks with the shallots and finish with 1/4c coconut milk
*omit the saffron, add a diced tomato and some torn basil leaves right at the end
*omit the saffron, and use beer or cider instead of wine
*add a squeeze of lemon juice as well as lemon and orange zest when you add the wine
*use fresh tarragon instead of the parsley
If you have leftover pot liquor after your meal, don’t throw it away! Have it the next day as a base for a soup. You can add vegetables, other seafood like prawns and/or noodles - delicious!
