White Wine Steamed Mussels
Mussels steam open in a garlicky white wine and shallot broth in minutes, ready to be scooped up with bread for every drop of liquid.
Mussels reward a light hand more than almost any other shellfish, since the broth only needs a few minutes to come together. Building the base in butter before the wine and mussels go in keeps the shallots from turning sharp. Set the pot right on the table with plenty of bread for dipping.
Ingredients
Method
Tap a number to mark a step doneMelt the butter in a large pot over medium heat and cook the shallot for 3 minutes until soft.
Add the minced garlic and cook 1 more minute until fragrant, stirring constantly so it does not brown or turn bitter.
Pour in the dry white wine, raise the heat slightly, and bring the liquid to a steady, gentle simmer.
Add the mussels, cover the pot tightly, and steam for 5 to 6 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice.
Check that the mussels have opened wide, then remove the pot from the heat and discard any that stayed shut.
Stir in most of the chopped parsley and the black pepper, tasting the broth and adjusting the seasoning if needed.
Ladle the mussels and their broth into wide serving bowls, topping each one with the remaining chopped parsley.
Serve right away with lemon wedges and plenty of crusty bread for soaking up all of the flavorful broth.
Kitchen note
Tap any mussel that is open before cooking; if it does not close on its own within a minute, discard it, since it is no longer alive and safe to cook.
