This is a dish my mother used to make when mussels were in season. Very simple, but very tasty.
Amounts are approximate. Change quanitities to suit your tastes! I would recommned mincing the parsley and garlic by hand, and not using a food processor. For some reason, processing those two ingredients really changes the flavor of this dish, and not for the better.
- 4-5 pounds of fresh mussels
- 5-7 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1-2 cups loosely packed parsley, minced
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- pinch of kosher salt
- splash of white wine
Clean and de-beard the mussels just before preparing. Heat olive oil in pot over medium heat, until the oil starts to shimmer slightly. Add the parsley and then the garlic to the pot, along with the butter, salt, and wine. Immediately add the mussels and put the lid on the pot. Cooking time will vary according to how deeply the mussels are stacked, and the quantity of mussels, about 8 to 15 minutes.
When all the mussels have opened, empty them into a serving bowl along with all the juices. Serve with a crusty bread and a green salad.
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Mussels are definitely a favorite in our family. Although I don’t know the season in which they are readily available, that pic is enough to get me wanting to see if there’s some at the fishmonger!
P.S. But I think I’ll nix any ideas about adding furikake. Garlic and parsley does it right!
I was always taught that “in season” meant September through March. I have family members who used to be professional fishermen, and they will not eat shellfish any other time of the year.