Steaming mussels is an easy way to get fresh seafood on the table when time is short.
1 pound mussels
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup chopped celery
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons dried basil
8 ounces dry white wine
Fresh parsley to garnish
Discard any broken or open mussels. Place the mussels in a large bowl of clean water to allow them to filter out sand and salt.
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the celery, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and basil and sauté until the onions are soft.
While the vegetables are sautéing, scoop the mussels from the bowl of water (do not drain in a colander) and place them in another bowl of clean water. Remove the beards (the threads emerging from the shell) by holding the mussel in one hand, and grasping the beard with a dry dishtowel in the other hand. Yank the beard sharply toward the hinge end of the mussel to remove it.
Clean the mussels under cool tap water to brush off any additional sand.
When the mussels are clean, add the wine and all of the mussels to the pot. Cover and steam, shaking occasionally, until the mussels are open, about 7-10 minutes.
Remove the mussels from the pot and strain the cooking liquid through a strainer lined with cheesecloth.
Pour the cooking liquid over the mussels. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
Courtesy of the National Fisheries Institute. Oldways photo.
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