Mussels in White Wine
Decadent seafood dinner without the effort
Are you in the mood for seafood dinner, but don’t feel like to putting in the effort? Mussels to the rescue. This recipe is also perfect when staying in an Airbnb, because it requires only the most basic tools and ingredients.
The star of this dish is the mussels, so make sure you get the freshest ones you can find. The New Zealand Green Mussels are amazing with this recipe, but the common Blue Mussels would work just fine too.
Ingredients
- 1kg fresh mussels
- 2 shallots, sliced, optional
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp butter
- A handful of chopped parsley
- Juice from half a lemon
- 5-6 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 4 slices of [sourdough bread](sourdough bread)
- Salt and pepper to season
Instructions
- Scrub and clean beards of mussels under cold running water, reserve in cold water with a pinch of salt.
- In a pot big enough for mussels, heat butter in medium-low heat and cook shallots and garlic until light brown, about 10 minutes.
- Add wine, bring to a simmer.
- Add mussels and close the lid. Cook for about 10 minutes, occasionally shaking the pot and stirring the mussels.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and add lemon juice and parsley.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve with toasted sourdough bread.
Tips & Tricks
- The cheaper the wine, the better it is. If you have a mediocre bottle that your stingy friend brought over that has been sitting around for ages, now is the time to open it.
- This dish obviously goes down perfectly with dry white wine such as a Sauvignon Blanc, but a Belgian beer such as Leffe would be great too.
- The sourdough is ideal for mopping up the sauces. Toasting in the oven with a bit of olive oil makes it even more decadent.
- Experiment with red chili, lemongrass, ginger or even curry leaves for an Asian twist.