Mussels Steamed with White Wine and Tomatoes

This is one of the most traditional methods for preparing fresh mussels.

Serves: 4Hands-on: 20 minutesTotal: 20 minutesDifficulty: Easy

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Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 8 cups fresh mussels
  • 1½ tsp. olive oil
  • 3 small shallots, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1½ cups dry white wine
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 very ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, cored, and chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Directions

  • Wash the mussels very well in 3 changes of clean water. Scrub off any grit and remove the beards. Discard any open mussels.
  • Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook for about 1 minute or until tender. Add the garlic and cook until it just starts to brown. Add the wine and the bay leaves, then stir in the mussels. Cover and cook for about 4 minutes or until the mussels open. Discard any that do not open. Remove the pan from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels to shallow soup bowls. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium-size saucepan.
  • Add the tomatoes to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the sauce over the mussels and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.