Steamed Mussels in White Wine Garlic Broth
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I love serving a large steaming batch of mussels and placing them in the middle of the table so that people can just dig in. Of course it is pretty much mandatory that mussels be served with plenty of bread for soaking up the extra sauce. And the sauce used for this recipe is perfect for dipping, similar to a scampi sauce – with a garlic and white wine base and butter added for extra richness just before serving. (And don’t forget to put out bowls for discarded shells!)
Steamed Mussels in White Wine Garlic Broth
Table of contents
How to Clean Mussels
To clean the mussels, start by rinsing them well under cool water. Scrub them as needed to remove any remaining debris on the shells. Make sure that all the mussels are debearded, meaning that the hair-like fibers that grow on the mussel are removed from the shell.
While many commercial mussels come debearded already, it doesn’t hurt to check them over once more. To do this, grab the beard with your fingers and pull it towards the hinge of the mussel shell or use a knife to gently scrape it away. Mussels are sold live as they spoil quickly once they die. Discard any mussels that have broken shells or do not open after cooking, as they are already dead.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
Mussels
When serving mussels as an entree, I adhere to the general rule of about ¾ pound to 1 pound of mussels per person and of course the amount also depends on the size of the appetites of your dinner guests.
There are about 20 to 25 PEI (Prince Edward Island) mussels in each pound and 14 to 18 per pound for Mediterranean mussels.
White wine
White wine is the base for the white wine steamed mussels. Use a dry white wine for this dish it won’t overpower the dish by making it too sweet. While I will use just about any white wine in a pinch I prefer cooking with Sauvignon blanc. Never cook with a wine you wouldn’t drink!
How to Make Steamed Mussels in Wine
- Sauté shallot. Heat a large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Next, add the shallot and sauté until soft and tender, about 3 minutes.
- Add wine. Add the garlic and sauté an additional 30 seconds. Then add the wine and vinegar and bring to a simmer and stir in the butter.
- Steam the mussels. Arrange the mussels in the pot and cover to let the mussels steam, gently shaking the pot once or twice, until all the mussels open, about 5 minutes. Discard any mussels that do not open.
- Serve. Arrange the mussels in a large serving bowl then pour the sauce over the top. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges. Serve with bread on the side.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:
- Mussels in Tomato Broth with Bacon
- Steamed Mussels in Saffron Chorizo Broth
- Seafood and Chorizo Paella
Steamed Mussels in White Wine Garlic Broth
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Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium shallot, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 pounds mussels, cleaned and debearded
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Lemon wedges, for garnishing
Instructions:
- Heat a large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Add the shallot and sauté until soft and tender, about 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and sauté an additional 30 seconds. Add the wine and vinegar and bring to a simmer and stir in the butter.
- Arrange the mussels in the pot and cover to let the mussels steam, gently shaking the pot once or twice, until all the mussels open, about 5 minutes. Discard any mussels that do not open.
- Arrange the mussels in a large serving bowl then pour the sauce over the top. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges. Serve with bread on the side.
Nutrition:
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