Good Food

More Recipes to Flex Your Mussels

By LARRY KANE

While on a recent trip to Manhattan, my wife and I feasted on mussels in a cream sauce delectably seasoned with bacon chunks, onion, celery and fresh thyme. We sipped every drop of sauce from the steamer pot by scooping it out with the shells. It was so delicious we raced each other to the bottom of the pot!

Fresh mussels are sold as live shellfish, which means just that: they should still be moving when you buy and cook them. Portion-wise, figure one pound per person, minimum, and purchase a little extra, anticipating some loss. At rest mussel shells lie agape, revealing their pinkish innards. As with anything this fresh they should be slapped. Really. Slap or otherwise disturb these gaping mollusks to cause their shells to close. You should observe an immediate response, with some taking only as long as 60 seconds to close tightly. Those that do not react or remain unclosed should be discarded.

Next, wash the shellfish with cool water and let drain in a colander. Examine each specimen for a beard and remove and discard the them. (Farm-raised mussels rarely have beards.)  You are now ready to proceed with any recipe.

After cooking, if a mussel shell does not open, do not force it open but simply discard it. Since mussels are very cheap, do not hesitate to throw out any product that is questionable. Pitch anything that seems compromised without a second thought. Your tummy will thank you for your prudence.

Mussels Mariniere

(serves two as an appetizer)

2 lb. mussels, cleaned

2 tbsp. olive oil or butter

½ c. yellow onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

pinch of dried thyme

pinch of salt and pepper

1 c. dry white wine or good beer

2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

In a medium pan with a tight-fitting lid heated over medium-high heat for one minute. Add oil, onion, garlic, thyme, salt & pepper and cook for one minute. Add mussels and wine/beer. Cover pan and cook for 5-8 minutes. Remove cover, add parsley and stir mixture. Discard any unopened shells. Pour contents of pan into a large warmed bowl. Serve with fresh bread and consume immediately.

Mussels with Bacon & Cream

(serve two as an appetizer)

2 lbs. mussels, cleaned

1 tbsp. olive oil

½ c. extra-thick sliced bacon, cut ½ (one-half)-inch chunks

½ c. celery sliced ¼ (one-fourth)-inch bias-cut

½ c. yellow onion diced ¼-inch

2 ea. bay leaf

2 ea. sprigs fresh thyme

1 c. heavy cream

1 tbsp. Dijon-style mustard

pinch salt and pepper

In a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid heat over medium heat one minute. Add all ingredients except mussels, and heat two minutes. Add mussels and cover. Cook 5-8 minutes. Remove lid and stir sauce to coat mussels. Pour contents into a large warmed serving bowl. Discard any unopened shells. Serve immediately.

Larry Kane received his chef training in Boston, Massachusetts. A 2001 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence winner, Kane can be found at the Publix at Bowie Complex in Fairview, Tennessee.