White Wine & Garlic Mussels

Seafood, for some people, can be intimidating. I know when I first began cooking I stayed away from seafood. I pretty much only had it when I ate out. Now, I cook all kinds of seafood. I’ve even made a ceviche using fresh scallops at the restaurant. My recommendation for those who are trepidatious about cooking seafood at home is to start with something simple and quick, like this recipe for mussels or this recipe for jumbo lump crab cakes.

This recipe for my white wine and garlic mussels is not only easy and quick, but very delicious and will make any house guest think you are a seafood pro. What makes this seafood appetizer great, is that with very basic yet fresh ingredients, you can transform any dish into something much more complex.

In most of my recipes, you will find a similar theme; simple but quality ingredients. This is the key to any great dish. You don’t need fancy or exotic flavored oils and accoutrements to make a good meal. Many times they can just overwhelm a dish and take away from the beauty of the ingredient you are trying to highlight. Yes, there is a time and place for those things, and you should feel free to use them if that’s what your looking for. I’m just not that fancy of a gal and really prefer the flavors of fresh garlic and shallots cooked in butter. Nothing better than that smell!

See full recipe below:

White Wine and Garlic Mussels Recipe by: Chef Sarah DeVight seafood – shell fish

Time: 20 Minutes

Serves: 6-8

Course: Appetizer

INGREDIENTS 2 lbs mussels 4 tbsp salted butter 1 shallot minced 2-3 cloves of garlic minced 2 tbsp olive oil 2-3 star anise 1/2 cup dry white wine the juice of 1 lemon 1/4 cup chopped parsley 1/4 cup chopped basil a dash of salt and pepper for seasoning STEPS 1- Right before cooking, rinse with cold water to get any excess grit off. 2- In a medium skillet on medium-high heat, melt butter. Add shallots and garlic. season with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes until shallots become translucent. 3- Add white wine and lemon juice. 4- In another large pot, big enough to hold all the mussels, add mussels and then pour the white wine and garlic sauce over the mussels. 5 -Cover pot and allow to cook on medium high heat for 4-5 minutes or until all the shells open. (some may stay closed, throw those out) 6 – Add fresh basil and parsley. Serve immediately.