Northwest Mussels Recipe

Clean mussels

Rinse the mussels under cold running water. Discard any with cracked shells or that remain open when tapped. Remove beards by pulling toward the hinge. Place cleaned mussels in a bowl in the refrigerator until ready to cook.

Heat a large wide pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter and allow the butter to melt and foam.

Add the white wine and stock along with the bay leaf. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer (do not boil aggressively) and let it reduce 2–3 minutes to concentrate flavor.

While the liquid comes up to temperature, finely mince the shallots and garlic and chop the herbs. Reserve most of the parsley for garnish; mix the remainder with the thyme and dill.

Add the minced shallots to the pot and sweat for 2–3 minutes until translucent but not browned. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook for 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Stir in the salt and black pepper. Return the liquid to a gentle simmer before adding the mussels.

Add the cleaned mussels to the pot in an even layer, then cover with a tight-fitting lid.

Steam the mussels for 5–7 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice, until most mussels have opened. Discard any mussels that remain closed after 7 minutes.

Remove the pot from heat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the opened mussels to warmed bowls, leaving the cooking liquid in the pot.

Set the pot over low heat. Swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the heavy cream, if using, until incorporated to create a glossy broth. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and most of the chopped parsley (reserve a little for garnish). Taste and adjust seasoning with coarse sea salt and more black pepper if needed.

Ladle the broth over the mussels. Sprinkle the reserved parsley over the top and serve immediately with lemon wedges and crusty bread or steamed potatoes to sop up the broth.