Mussels steamed in a savory slurry of garlic, dried chiles, green onions, and white wine make quick work of cooking dinner. Wild mussels need to be scrubbed and debearded before cooking, but most mussels for sale today are farmed and a simple vigorous rinse of water will do.
Many steamed mussels recipes call for entire bottles of wine. The mussels end up being more boiled than steamed and the broth never gets properly cooked. Here, a smaller amount of wine is cooked down before adding the mussels, creating a rich, flavorful broth with the liquid released by the mussels that is perfect for sopping up with bread.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 to 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 to 4 whole dried red chiles or 1/2 tsp. dried red chile flakes
- 1 bunch green onions (about 8), chopped (green parts included)
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 4 lbs. fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded if needed
- 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Freshly ground pepper
Preparation:
- In a large pot over medium-high heat add oil and garlic until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chiles and green onions. Cook, stirring, until onions are soft, about 1 minute. Add wine, bring to a boil, and cook until liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup.
- Add mussels, cover, and cook until all mussels are open, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and pepper. Stir to combine and coat mussels with mixture on the bottom of the pot. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 generous servings.
