Mussels Recipe
Garlic, onion, chili flakes, butter, white wine, tomato sauce and tear drop peppers. Served with garlic bread.
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Ingredients
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Mussels and Broth
Garlic Bread
Method
Mussels and Broth
- 1
Prepare mussels
Rinse mussels under cold water, discard any with broken shells or that do not close when tapped. Remove beards by pulling firmly toward the hinge. Set cleaned mussels in a colander to drain while you make the broth.
- 2
Sweat aromatics
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet with a tight-fitting lid, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter over medium heat until shimmering. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5–6 minutes. Add the sliced/minced garlic and chili flakes and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to brown the garlic.
- 3
Deglaze and build sauce
Pour in the white wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer the wine for 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly and cook off alcohol. Stir in the tomato passata and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Add the remaining 2 tbsp butter, salt, black pepper, and half the chopped parsley. Stir until butter melts and the sauce is slightly glossy.
- 4
Add peppers and mussels
Add the sliced tear drop peppers to the sauce and stir. Add the drained mussels to the pot in an even layer. Cover with the lid and increase heat to high so the liquid comes to a vigorous simmer/steam. Cook for 4–6 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice, until most mussels have opened. Use tongs to remove opened mussels into a serving bowl as they are ready; continue until all are open. Discard any mussels that remain tightly closed after cooking.
- 5
Finish and season
Taste the cooking liquid and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten (use half the lemon, more to taste). Stir in the remaining butter if you want extra richness and fold in the remaining chopped parsley and lemon zest. Spoon the sauce over the mussels.
- 6
Serve
Transfer mussels and broth to a large shallow bowl or serve straight from the pot. Provide a small bowl for shells. Garnish with extra parsley and a couple of lemon wedges.
Garlic Bread
- 7
Make garlic butter
In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, minced garlic, olive oil, chopped parsley, salt and pepper. Mix until smooth and evenly combined.
- 8
Prepare and bake
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Slice the baguette in half lengthwise (or into diagonal slices for individual pieces). Spread the garlic butter evenly over cut surfaces. Place bread on a baking sheet, butter-side up, and bake for 8–10 minutes until the edges are golden and butter is bubbling. For crispier top, broil 1–2 minutes more, watching closely to avoid burning.
- 9
Finish
Remove garlic bread from the oven, let rest 1 minute, then slice (if whole) and serve warm alongside the mussels for dipping into the broth.