Steamed Mussels with White Wine and Shallots

Two major events occurred within the course of a single day in the Nistler household!

First, Matthew received a major haircut...

...and now looks slightly bald in the front while sporting a minor mullet in the back. I will have to fix this later.

Second, Paul cooked dinner...

Next to red meat, Paul's favorite proteins are mussels, clams, and scallops. He really wanted to make a seafood dish, so I gladly let him have control of the kitchen and these steamed mussels were the delicious result. Served with a homemade french baguette for dipping, it was a perfect cozy meal.

Matthew ate a hot dog and some popcorn for dinner. He chose poorly.

Steamed Mussels

adapted from Cook's Illustrated

2 cups dry white wine

1/2 cup minced shallots

4 large garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 bay leaf

4 pounds mussels, cleaned and debearded

4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

Bring wine, shallots, garlic, parsley, and bay leaf to simmer in large pot. Simmer for 3 minutes to blend the flavors. Increase the heat to high, add the mussels, and cover and cook, stirring twice until mussels open (about 4-8 minutes depending on both pot and mussel size).

Remove the mussels from the liquid with a slotted spoon and place in a large serving bowl. Meanwhile, swirl the butter into pan liquid to make an emulsified sauce. Pour the broth over the mussels and serve immediately with warm, crusty bread for dipping.