Grilled Muscles Recipe

Inspect and clean the mussels: discard any mussels that are open and do not close when tapped, or have broken shells. Rinse the remaining mussels under cold water; use a small knife to remove any beards (the fibrous threads) by pulling toward the hinge.

Preheat a large, heavy-bottomed pot or wide skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter and let butter melt until foaming.

Sauté aromatics: add the chopped shallot and half the minced garlic (reserve remaining garlic for finishing), and cook 1–2 minutes until softened and translucent but not browned.

Deglaze and create cooking liquid: pour in the dry white wine and water (or seafood stock). Scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring the liquid to a vigorous simmer.

Add mussels: add the cleaned mussels to the pot, cover with the lid, and steam for 4–6 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice, until mussels have opened. Discard any mussels that remain tightly closed after 6 minutes.

Finish the sauce: remove the lid and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, remaining minced garlic, chopped parsley, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper if needed.

If you prefer more concentrated sauce for grilling finish, remove mussels with tongs into a bowl and reduce the cooking liquid over medium-high heat for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened, then return mussels to the pan to coat.

Prepare grill or broiler

Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high (or set an oven broiler to high). Brush sliced bread lightly with 2 tablespoons olive oil on both sides.

Grill or toast bread: place bread directly on the grill grates or under the broiler for 1–2 minutes per side, or until crisp and nicely charred at the edges. Remove and set aside.

Grill mussels (optional smoky finish): for a grilled flavor, transfer steamed mussels (open shells only) to a grill-safe pan or place them shell-side down directly on the grill for 1–2 minutes just to pick up char and smoky notes. Hold them open with tongs if needed. Alternatively, keep them in the pot and spoon the sauce over each piece when serving.

Serve: arrange mussels in a shallow platter or bowl with the garlicky wine sauce. Garnish with additional chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Serve immediately with grilled bread for sopping up the sauce.

Notes on portions: encourage diners to discard any unopened mussels and to use bread to soak up the flavorful broth. Leftover sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.