Mussels in Garlic and Wine

Way back in the day, Ms Cocktail and I used to frequent an establishment in Willimantic, Ct called the Victorian  Lady. Not only was it the best restaurant in all of Willimantic, it also had the huge bonus of being staggering distance from our abode. That meant that we could get stupid drunk and not have to worry about driving a vehicle. So to recap, good food + walking distance = many fun (perhaps forgotten) nights.

One of the things on the menu there that totally rocked was an appetizer of steamed mussels. They would steam them with a touch of garlic and a touch of wine. It was a nice light little taste. Being the seafood lover that I am, I was hooked on those things. When we moved out of Connecticut to Pennsylvania, mussels were one of the sea foods that we could still get. So I set a out to recreate this recipe in my own in you face style.

What I ended up with is something that is almost completely, but not quite totally unlike what I used to get the Victorian Lady. There is an intensity of flavor that was completely missing from the Vic Lady version. It is also a very versatile recipe as you can swap out cilantro for the parsley or add in some diced tomatoes for a bit of a southern Italy/Mediterranean feel. No matter what you do, just make sure not to overcook the mussels. They are delicate little creatures and only need a little time under heat to be ready for the table.

Oh, and one more thing. Make sure to serve these little guys with lots of crusty French bread for soaking up the juices afterwards. That may very well be the best part.

Mussels in Garlic and Wine

2 lbs mussels, cleaned and de-bearded
1 head of garlic, minced (Author’s note: This is one time that I’ll use a food processor to do this. I’ll usually attack the garlic with a knife but this is a lot of garlic. You can lose a lot of the oils with a food processor or a garlic press which is why I typically use a knife. Also, if you don’t know, the best way to peel garlic is to place a clove on a cutting board and smack it with the flat part (side) of a knife blade. Then just shake out the garlic from the skin.)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine (It seems like the author has a lot to say today: I like to use a Sauvignon Blanc with this meal. A Chardonnay is ok, but the acidity and brightness of the Sauvignon Blanc really shines through here. It is also an excellent reason to experiment with wines form New Zealand.)
1 cup finely chopped parsley
1 lemon, juiced and the rinds

In a pot large enough to hold all the mussels, heat the extra virgin olive oil then sauté the garlic for a couple of minutes. Don’t let it start to brown though. Add the wine, the parsley, the lemon juice, the lemon rinds and then gently add the mussels. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer for five minutes. Ladle the mussels into a bowl with plenty of the juice. Serve with crusty French bread. Makes a meal for two or an appetizer for four.