A DREAMY, STEAMY DISH
Easy and flavourful recipe will surely make mussels a weeknight-meal mainstay.
Steamed mussels are an underrated weeknight meal — they take minutes to cook and are one of the few affordable and sustainable seafood options. They may seem like a fancy treat, but once you realize how easy they are to prepare and how many ways you can flavour them, mussels will surely be in your weeknight meal arsenal.
When shopping for mussels, look for tightly closed shells. If the shell is slightly open, give it a tap. The shell should close within a few seconds (it’s a sign the mussel is alive). Toss out any mussels with cracked shells or shells that don’t close. Like all seafood, it is best to consume mussels within a day or two of purchase. But mussels can keep up to a week when placed in a bowl and covered with a damp towel in the fridge. Do not store them in an airtight container or submerged; that’ll kill them.
To cook, steam the mussels in your favourite liquids: apple juice, white wine, wheat beer, cider, broth or even Clamato (surely there’s a few bottles leftover from Canada Day). The juice traditionally used for Caesars makes an excellent broth for mussels as it adds a tangy tomato flavour without overpowering them. Corn and diced potatoes do an excellent job of absorbing the Clamato and rounds out the meal. The mussels and vegetables are filling on their own, though crusty bread for dipping is an excellent add-on.
Clamato-Steamed Mussels, Corn and Potatoes
Star Tested 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish 1 ear of corn, shucked and cut into six coins 1 medium yellow potato, skin-on, diced into small cubes 2 cups (500 mL) Clamato, plus more as necessary Tabasco or any hot sauce, to taste Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste 1 lb (16 oz) fresh mussels, rinsed In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and parsley. Stir until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add corn and diced potato. Stir for 4 to 5 minutes.
Add Clamato and a few dashes of hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
Bring liquid to a boil. Cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Add more Clamato if liquid reduces too much. Add mussels, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove lid and check if most shells are open. If not, cover and let cook for another minute or two. Discard any mussels that haven’t opened.
Transfer mussels, potatoes and corn to a larger serving bowl. Pour broth over everything. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Makes one serving. karonliu@thestar.ca
Steamed mussels are a great choice for a quick, easy and affordable meal that seems fancier than it is. They’re also a sustainable seafood treat with a variety of flavour possibilities