Mussels are easy to make, inexpensive and make a great family meal. Flavored with leeks, bacon and cooked in white wine. Serve with your favorite warm bread.
fresh dill or parsley or cilantrochopped, for garnish
goat cheeseoptional
Instructions
To Prep/Clean the Mussels:
In a large colander under cold water in the sink, clean the mussels by removing dirt and debris, and debeard if necessary.
Discard any dead mussels (cracked shells, and those that don’t close after tapping them together lightly)
Cooking the Mussels:
Heat a large pan, over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add bacon. Using a spatula, mix and break the pieces apart to get a nice sear. Cook for about 3 min until crispy. Remove to a plate. (Save for later - Step 6)
In the same hot pan (you now have bacon fat as the cooking oil), add leeks and garlic. Mix and scrape the bottom of the pan using a spatula, picking up all the brown bits. Cook for about 2-3 min, until leeks are softened.
Add wine, cook for about 3 to 5 min, so the liquid reduces and the alcohol evaporates.
Add a tablespoon of dijon mustard and about a ½ cup of water or stock, mix well.
Add cleaned mussels to the pan. Using a large spoon, spoon some of the sauce from the bottom over the mussels and combine. Close the lid, and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes or until the mussels open. Discard any that did not open.
Turn off the heat, add lemon juice, bacon from Step 1 and garnish with fresh herbs like dill or parsley or cilantro. If using goat cheese, crumble pieces over the finished dish. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Wine to use: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Riesling are good choices. But feel free to use the bottle you have opened in the fridge. Cooking time: mussels will steam in about 5 to 7 minutes, but that can vary based on the amount of liquid, heat, and size of the cookware. Discard any that did NOT open! Serving suggestion: Serve with toasted bread for dipping.