Great Meals for a Change

Mussels

Fresh local mussels steamed in a wine and vegetable stock

Ingredients:

• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 8 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 2 medium onion, roughly sliced
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley leaves
• At least 8 pounds large mussels, well washed

Instructions:

• Wash the mussels well, running them under cold water to remove sand and mud; as you clean them scrape off the "beard" - the weedy growth attached to the bottom of the shell - from each one. Discard any with broken shells or which remain open after tapping them lightly.
• In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil, then add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring, just until the onion softens.
• Add the wine, parsley, and mussels, cover the pot, and turn the heat to high. Steam, shaking the pot frequently, until the mussels open, about 8 to 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to put the mussels into a serving bowl; if you like, you can strain a little of the liquid over them.
With a Butter Sauce:
• Follow the basic recipe and keep the mussels warm. Strain the cooking liquid through a sieve lined with a paper towel into a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, discard 1 shell of each mussel, and arrange the remaining shells, with the mussel meat on a platter. Keep warm in oven on low heat while the liquid reduces. When the steaming liquid is reduced to about ¼ cup, add 3 tbps butter (cut into bits) and let it melt. Add 1 teaspoon minced garlic and ¼ cup minced fresh parsley leaves. Cook over medium heat for a minute or two. Check for salt, then drizzle the sauce over the mussel meat and serve.