My daughter Amanda loves all kinds of seafood, cooked in every which way. For her 13th birthday, I made her two seafood dishes she requested of me, one with mussels and another with shrimp. Let’s just say that she was in heaven! I had never seen her eat so much! Everyone else was finished, yet she continued to indulge. It was a good thing I made a lot of food.
MUSSELS IN WHITE WINE SAUCE
2 lbs Mussels – cleaned & debearded
3 large Shallots
6 large cloves Garlic
4 tablespoons organic Butter
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cups white Wine – I used Vouvray & Sauvignon Blanc*
3 sprigs fresh Thyme
Pinch Red Chili Flakes (optional)
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper
2 tablespoons Chives and/or Italian Parsley – garnish – finely chopped
*You may use any wine you like; however, I like to use about a cup of Vouvray and a cup of Sauvignon Blanc for the balance they lend to the dish. Vouvray has a little fruity sweetness, while Sauvignon Blanc is dryer and very crisp.
Begin by cleaning and debearding the mussels under cold water. If you find any open mussels that do not close after you squeeze them gently, toss them, as they are already dead.
Finely chop the shallots, and finely mince the garlic. In a large pot, heat the butter and the olive oil, and add the garlic, shallots, thyme sprigs, red chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Sauté them until they are translucent. Add the white wine, and bring to a boil. Add the cleaned mussels, and stir well. Now cover them and cook them over medium heat for about 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove the mussels from the heat, and discard all the unopened shells. Serve them immediately in a large serving bowl. Top the plated mussels with the finely chopped chives and Italian parsley. Serve with some delicious homemade garlic bread to soak up all that delicious sauce at the bottom of the bowl. Enjoy!
