Mussels Provencal

Brian (hubby) makes the best mussels I've had anywhere between here and France, whichever way around the world you go.  This is how he does it.  This recipe serves two as a main course, takes about 30 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.

Ingredients

• 3 dozen black PEI mussels (normally we get 40 mussels, which allows an extra 10% to cover for any bad ones)
• 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 3 tablespoons good butter (like Kerrygold or a French butter)
• 1 large shallot - roughly chopped
• 5 large cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 2 cups of white wine
• pinch of sea salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup of chopped Italian parsley

Submerge mussels in cold water for 2-3 minutes

Put mussels in collinder and rinse with cold water

Gently agitate with your hand to release sand

Further clean and de-beard the mussels

The thorough cleaning of the mussels is vital to this dish so a) you have the perfect buttery Provencal sauce to dunk your crusty french bread into, and b) eliminating any debris, sand and grit when eating your mussels.

Scrape the mussel shells with a parring knife to smooth and remove debris.  Run your fingers along the edge of the shells and feel for any furry membranes, i.e. the beard, and then pull off.

Pull off any beards (furry membranes)

Then check the integrity of your mussels.  If the shell is tightly closed it's good.  If a mussel's shell is all the way open - discard it.  If it is partially open, then tap it a couple of times with your knife - if it closes up, then it's still good.

Partially open shell

Tap a couple of times with knife

If it closes up, it's good

Saute shallot and garlic in olive oil and butter

Add wine, lemon juice, then mussels to the pan

After tossing and stirring, hold down lid of pan, continue to agitate for about 2 to 3 minutes until shells open

Instructions

1. Heat up the olive oil and butter in a 4 quart pan on the stove top
2. Saute on a medium heat the chopped shallot for about 2 to 3 minutes, then add the garlic and saute for a further minute or so,  not allowing the garlic to brown
3. Add salt and pepper
4. Increase the heat to high, add the wine and lemon juice to the pan so this heats up and starts to reduce
5. Then add the mussels and toss about (lifting and shaking the pan). Put the lid on the pan and hold down for about 2 to 3 minutes until shells are open, and then promptly remove from heat.
6. Put the mussels in two bowls with a good helping of the sauce with shallot and garlic
7. Sprinkle chopped parsley on the top and serve with warm French bread

The best way to eat them is to use an empty shell as though it were tweezers or tongs. Hold the shell of the mussel your're going to eat in one hand, and with the empty shell grab the mussel and pull it out.  Eh voila!
​

Bon appetit
​Karen xox