Mussels in a white wine cream sauce (with or without linguine)

Ingredients:

2 lbs mussels

1 bottle of white wine

2-4 cloves of garlic (depending on taste), finely sliced

2 medium to large sized shallots, finely sliced

3 scallions, finely sliced on a bias (white part and green part) Optional

3 tablespoons of olive oil

3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, cut into 5 or 6 “pats”

¾ cup of heavy or light cream

Salt and pepper

1 lb of linguine (optional)

This is a dish that can go either way. For brunch, I like to prepare this without the linguine and serve instead with a large crusty Italian bread or French baguette. As a dinner dish, I still tend to serve with some crusty bread and the pasta adds that substantial-ness one expects at a large dinner party. This recipe serves 2-4 people depending on their appetites, and what other dishes are being served.

A word about the white wine: I prefer to use a domestic Gewürztraminer or Riesling. They tend to be fruity, well balanced and just as tasty as the imports, without the hefty price tag. Don’t be afraid to experiment here. I find that either of these wines, when young, have sweetness which accentuates the cream and shallots in the recipe and fruitiness that brings out the muskiness of the mussels. But, find something that you like. I really enjoy the Rieslings and Gewürztraminers from the North Fork of Long Island and the Finger Lakes in upstate NY. If you prefer a Chardonnay, I suggest that you find a young one with lots of fruit and a little sweetness. In this recipe I try to avoid the super dry older white wines.

Mussels are delicious, easy to find and inexpensive. They’re also very easy to deal with. When you get them home, cook them immediately or put them into an uncovered bowl in the fridge. Never leave them in the plastic bag the fish market gives them to you in! They will go bad (die, yes they’re alive)! When preparing them, inspect them closely. Remove their beards (an almost furry thing protruding from them) by tugging them off. If the shell is broken, toss it. If they’re closed they’re good. If a few are open, don’t panic. Just touch them! If when you touch them they don’t instantly close, pinch it closed and see if it closes. If it refuses to close or rather stay closed on its own after that, toss it. Better to be safe than sorry. After cooking, if a mussel hasn’t opened, again…discard!

On with the show!

Heat a large pot with a lid over medium-high heat. When hot, add the olive oil and the butter. Before the butter has completely melted into the oil, add the shallots and the whites of the scallions. Add salt and pepper immediately and stir them in the pan frequently. When they become translucent, add half of the greens of the scallions. I like the scallions. They add a bite that cuts through that I love. you can leave them out or use chives instead. Cook for about a minute then turn the heat all the way up. Be very careful not to let the mixture burn. Add the garlic and cook until it turns slightly golden. Don’t overcook the garlic! Add the mussels. Shake it as you let it cook over high heat for a minute or so. Add half the bottle of wine and cover. The rest of the bottle is for you to enjoy! It shouldn’t take more then a few minutes for the mussels to steam open. When they’ve opened, remove them with a slotted spoon and place in a decorative serving bowl. Cover them with aluminum foil temporarily, so that they keep they’re temperature. Over high heat, let the cooking liquid reduce by a third or so, about 5-7 minutes. Then add the cream. Whisk the cream and the cooking liquid together and lower the heat to medium high. Continue to reduce until it coats the back of a spoon well. Taste it! Does it need salt? Pepper? Add to taste. Pour sauce over mussels in the serving bowl and garnish with the remaining scallion greens. Serve with crusty bread and a bowl to discard shells in.

With linguine: Preparation is pretty much the same except that you boil some linguine. When the sauce is thickened and seasoned, add al dente linguine. Cook in sauce for a minute and then turn off heat. Add mussels back into pot with sauce and pasta. Mix thoroughly and place back into the large serving bowl. Garnish with remaining scallion greens. Serve with or without crusty bread and a bowl for shells.

Remember to experiment a little. You may like less cream; you may like more cream. You may decide you hate mussels. You may wonder why you’ve come to A blog for recipes! Let it go. Life is too short and this dish is delicious.