Mussels Recipe

Inspect the mussels: discard any with cracked shells or that remain open after a firm tap. Place mussels in a colander and rinse under cold running water to remove sand and debris.

De-beard: Using a paring knife or your fingers, pull away any fibrous beard from each mussel toward the hinge. Trim ragged edges. Optional: For very sandy mussels, submerge in a bowl of cold water with ice for 10 minutes to encourage them to expel sand, then rinse again.

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter. When the butter has melted and begins to foam, add the chopped shallots, sliced celery and a pinch of salt. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until the shallots are softened and translucent but not browned.

Add the minced garlic, thyme sprigs and bay leaf and cook for 30–45 seconds until fragrant, stirring so the garlic doesn’t burn.

Deglaze the pan: pour in the white wine and increase the heat to medium-high. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan and let the wine reduce by about half, 1–2 minutes, to concentrate flavor and burn off alcohol.

Add the chicken or vegetable broth and bring the liquid to a gentle simmer. Taste and add about half of the salt and all of the pepper now; you can adjust at the end.

Add the cleaned mussels to the pot in an even layer, then cover with the lid. Steam the mussels for 4–6 minutes, shaking the pan or stirring once halfway through, until most mussels have opened. Discard any mussels that remain tightly closed after 6 minutes.

Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the lemon juice and chopped parsley. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with the remaining salt and additional pepper if needed.

Spoon mussels and broth into warmed bowls, making sure to include plenty of the flavorful cooking liquid. Serve immediately with crusty bread or toasted baguette slices to mop up the broth. Offer additional lemon wedges at the table.

If desired, pass extra chopped parsley or a drizzle of olive oil for finishing. Leftover mussels should be refrigerated promptly and consumed within 24 hours; strain and store broth separately if keeping.