Simple Steamed Mussels

I like mussels. I especially started loving them when I had the baked mussels from Kanda, an all-you-can-eat sushi place Kev and I like to go often. I know a lot of people who don't like seafood in general. They say it's the texture. I guess that part of my mind is not functional because I don't mind it at all. Other people don't like mussels just because they are filter feeders and are considered dirty. I personally think i've eaten worse things.



My mom makes her mussels Chinese-style; with our favorite black bean sauce. I believe she buys her mussels frozen. They are usually twice the size of the unfrozen/fresh kind that Kev and I buy. She once told me to buy Nova Scotian mussels, because they are usually bigger. I can't remember where the mussels we get originate from, but they are small.

2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup shallots, minced
3/4 cup dry white wine
3 pounds mussels, cleaned and debearded
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
ground black pepper to taste

1. In a medium stock pot, heat butter over medium heat. Add shallots and saute until translucent.
2. Pour in wine and mussels. Raise heat to medium/high and steam mussels until shells open, about 5 minutes.
3. Pour mussels and cooking liquid into a serving bowl, sprinkle with parsley and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

I believe this was the first time I ever cooked with wine. I don't drink alcohol, so I was a bit hesitant. But the alcohol evaporates and the sauce tastes so good. The only downside is that a night of mussels produces a lot of garbage...and smelly too.