Steamed Mussels

Whenever I see steamed mussels on a menu, I always have to order them (I crave the ones from The Med in Boulder,CO). Really, few things are better than seafood cooked in white wine and garlic - try out my recipe for seafood pasta if you need to be convinced. Even better, mussels are very reasonably priced compared to other shellfish. This dish is super easy to make, just make sure to rinse and clean the mussels thoroughly to get rid of any leftover sand.

Steamed Mussels:

• Soak 1 lb. mussels in a large bowl of cold water.
• Meanwhile, heat one tsp. olive oil and one tbsp. butter in a large pot.
• Add 1/4 c. chopped shallots, 4 cloves minced garlic, three sprigs of thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, making sure garlic doesn't burn.
• Add 2 c. white wine and 1 tbsp. lemon juice. Cook for another 3 minutes.
• Add mussels and close the pot with a lid. Let cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until mussels open. Discard any mussels that don't open.
• Remove mussels from the pot, but leave sauce. Stir in another 2 tbsp. cold butter and check for seasoning.
• Pour sauce over mussels and serve with grilled bread.

Serves two