Steamed Green Mussels in White Wine Broth

By: Victoria Nguyen | July 28 2011
Posted in Recipes - SF Bay Area Recipes

The perfect dish for any special occasion! Photo by: Victoria Nguyen

Elegant and simple, this recipe is the equivalent of a little black dress that you can always revisit for a special occasion. Live green mussels are steamed in a chunky tomato and white wine sauce. Fresh parsley, thyme, shallots and garlic give this dish a subtle aromatic quality that will have your guests salivating before they even get to the table.

Steamed Green Mussels with Fresh Tomatoes and Herbs in White Wine Broth

Ingredients
3 pounds live green mussels, washed and debearded
3 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 cups dry white wine
1 large shallot (or small onion), finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Handful of fresh parsley sprigs, with some leaves for garnish
5 sprigs of fresh thyme
Extra virgin olive oil
Red chili pepper flakes, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste

Directions
In a large pot over medium heat, add three tablespoons of olive oil. When oil is hot, sauté shallots until soft and transparent. Add garlic and cook until soft – be careful not to brown. Add tomatoes, chili flakes, salt, and pepper to taste. (Keep in mind the mussels will add additional saltiness to the dish.) Cover pot with lid until tomatoes are pulpy and releasing juices, stirring occasionally. Over high heat, add mussels, herb sprigs, and white wine. Lightly toss and cover pot with lid.

Check occasionally and give the contents a quick stir to incorporate all the ingredients. Leave pot covered until mussels are cooked or open, about five minutes. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and garnish with parsley leaves.

Serve immediately by placing mussels in a large serving platter with sides tall enough to contain the broth. Discard any unopened mussels and stringy strands of herbs. Serve with crusty bread for dipping and an extra bowl for mussel shells. Serves four.

Pro-tip: For a richer broth, reduce olive oil to one tablespoon, while adding about one tablespoon of butter when sautéing the shallots. After mussels are cooked, add another two tablespoons of butter and a drizzle of olive oil to incorporate into broth. Also, be careful not to overcook the mussels, as they can take on a rubbery texture.