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Serves
2 as a main course, or 4 as an appetizer
Author Notes
This is my little twist on the classic mussels steamed in white wine. I use leeks and garlic as the base alliums, and add a bit of tomato paste and a healthy does of chile flakes to the broth. Good crusty bread is absolutely non-negotiable here--you'll want to soak up as much of the tangy, salty broth as possible. —ieatthepeach
Ingredients
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2 pounds
mussels
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2 tablespoons
olive oil, unsalted butter, or a combination
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1
small leek, white and light green parts only, diced
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3-4
garlic cloves, minced
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1 tablespoon
tomato paste
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1/2 teaspoon
crushed red chile flakes, or to taste
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1 cup
dry white wine
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Zest of 1 medium lemon
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Handful of chopped fresh parsley
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Crusty bread for serving
Directions
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Inspect the mussels, and discard any with cracked or broken shells. If any mussels are slightly open, give them a gentle tap; if they don’t close within a few seconds, throw them out. Rinse the mussels under cold running water, and scrub with a damp cloth or a stiff brush to remove any lingering grit or dirt. If any of the mussels have their beards still attached, pull them out–you may need to use a kitchen towel to help you grip.
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In a large pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat olive oil and/or butter over medium heat. Add leek, garlic, tomato paste, chile flakes, and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes, or until the leeks are translucent. Add wine and lemon zest, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil.
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Add the mussels to the pot, and immediately cover with a lid. Give the pan a gentle shake, then let the mussels steam for 3-5 minutes, or until they’ve all opened. If any mussels don’t open after about 8 minutes, remove them from the pot and throw them away.
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Remove the pot from the heat, and stir in the parsley. Ladle the mussels into large bowls, along with their broth. Serve with crusty bread to sop up the broth.
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