Prince Edward Island Mussels Recipe

Clean mussels

Rinse the mussels under cold running water. Discard any with cracked shells. Pull off any beards (the fibrous threads) by tugging toward the hinge; use a small knife if needed. Set cleaned mussels in a bowl in the refrigerator while you prepare other ingredients.

Roast the garlic

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the tops off the head of the 6 garlic cloves (or one small head if using whole). Place the garlic on a small piece of foil, drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil, wrap and roast 20–25 minutes until soft and caramelized. Allow to cool, then squeeze roasted garlic cloves into a small bowl and mash to a paste.

Prepare aromatics

In a small bowl combine the 2 minced fresh garlic cloves, the finely chopped shallot, chopped parsley (reserve about 2 tbs for garnish), lemon zest and thyme. Stir in the roasted garlic paste and set aside.

Heat pot

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tbs olive oil and 2 tbs unsalted butter over medium heat until butter melts and begins to foam but not brown.

Sweat shallots & garlic

Add the shallot and minced fresh garlic to the pot. Cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and translucent, taking care not to let the garlic burn.

Deglaze & build broth

Pour in 1 cup dry white wine and 1 cup stock (or an additional cup of wine if not using stock). Scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper and 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes. Bring the liquid to a simmer and let it reduce for 2–3 minutes to concentrate flavor.

Add mussels and steam

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the cleaned mussels to the pot, then spoon the roasted-garlic–shallot–herb mixture over them. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and steam for 4–6 minutes, shaking the pot once halfway through, until mussels have opened. Check after 4 minutes and continue until most mussels have opened. Discard any mussels that remain tightly closed after cooking.

Finish sauce

Remove the lid. Stir in the remaining 2 tbs unsalted butter and the juice of 1 lemon. Toss gently to coat the mussels and thicken the broth slightly. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon as needed.

Serve the mussels immediately in deep bowls with plenty of the white-wine–garlic broth. Sprinkle reserved chopped parsley on top and add lemon wedges on the side. Offer crusty bread for dipping. Each serving yields generous broth — encourage diners to spoon it over the bread.