ALE-STEAMED MUSSELS WITH GARLIC AND MUSTARD

Ale-Steamed Mussels With Garlic and Mustard image

Looking for a sustainable, affordable seafood option back in a 2009 column, Melissa Clark landed on mussels. Here, she pairs them with a good ale, Dijon mustard, garlic, shallots and thyme for a quick weeknight dinner that's ready in 15 minutes. Just don't forget the baguette. You'll want it for soaking up all those juices.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Categories dinner, quick, main course

Time 15m

Yield 2 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

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Ingredients

2 pounds mussels in shells
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 full sprigs of thyme
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 large shallots, chopped
Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup good ale
1 to 3 tablespoons butter, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or parsley
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Crusty bread, for serving

Steps:

Rinse mussels under cold running water. If you see hairy clumps around the shell (called beards), use a sharp knife or your fingers to pull them off, then scrub shells well with a vegetable brush.
In a soup pot with a tight-fitting cover, heat olive oil, then add thyme, garlic, shallots and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté until shallots and garlic are softened, 3 minutes. Pour in ale and bring to a simmer. Add mussels and cover pot. Let mussels steam, stirring once or twice, until they open, 5 to 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer mussels to bowls. Discard any that have not opened.
Add butter, herbs and mustard to pan juices and bring to a boil. Whisk until butter melts, then taste and correct seasonings (add more butter if liquid tastes bitter). Pour over mussels and serve with bread for sopping up juices.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 669, UnsaturatedFat 14 grams, Carbohydrate 38 grams, Fat 29 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 58 grams, SaturatedFat 10 grams, Sodium 1534 milligrams, Sugar 6 grams, TransFat 0 grams