Haha, get it? Mussel bound. Can you guess what I've cooked up this week? Mussels! Okay, let me just tell you, this is a pretty cool dish to make for a couple of reasons. One, you feel really mighty because...well...you kill your dinner. Don't be sad, though. It's okay because it's delicious. Also, it looks really impressive, so make this for a dinner party or some other time when you have friend over. Finally, it couldn't be simpler to do. There's hardly a proper recipe, just basic guidelines, because mussels are really versatile. Nevertheless, I used this guide the first time I made them. The biggest thing to remember are the safety guidelines about discarding dead mussels. Besides that, just be sure to choose accompanying players that don't overpower their delicate flavor. Get really creative, though. What about a buttery chardonnay and dried cranberries at Thanksgiving? Or a little sake and soy sauce and served over rice noodles for an Asian flair. Seriously, the sky's the limit. I choose the Mediterranean route when making this batch.
So here are my mussels, freshly home from the store. I sprayed mine gently with water just to give them a rinse. They were already de-bearded, which was nice.
Prep took no more than ten minutes (I cheated with tinned tomatoes) before these little guys went into their "sauna". Sleep tight! A few minutes later the mussels were cooked and ready for a little basil to go on top.
And here's the beautiful finished product. I had some tomato garlic bread for the broth (yum!) and some delicious cider to drink with it. Oh! There's another good idea. Cider and mussels, yes, please! The only thing I would have changed would have been to dice my shallots instead of slicing them, but that's minor. And you get to eat with your hands! Well, I'm sure there are people out there that prefer to use a fork or something, but I find it's easier to just get right in there with the tools God gave you.
Did I mention this took mere minutes? Seriously, this is such a yummy and easy meal. I don't know why I didn't start making mussels sooner. And it feels so fancy. Give it a try.
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