Sautéed mussels is one of my favorite go-to dishes. It quick, easy and delicious. Funny though that so many people are afraid to make it. Don’t be. Make it once and you’ll see that there’s nothing to be afraid of.
Ingredients
1 3 lb. bag of PEI mussels – cleaned and deveined.
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil – or enough to cover the bottom of the pan
1 small shallot – finely diced
1 clove fresh garlic – finely diced
1/4 cup of white wine
1/2 cup of chicken broth + a splash of water to water it down
2 pats of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
1 small tomato – seeds and pulp removed and diced
1 small bunch of fresh tarragon – finely chopped (about a tablespoon)
Instructions
Place a large skillet on medium heat, add oil and heat until hot but not smoking and add the shallots. Cook for about a minute just until they begin to color and add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until it just begins to color.
Follow quickly with the mussels and cook for about a minute or so and add the broth. Warm the broth and then remove a few spoonfuls of it into a cup.
Mix the broth in the cup with the flour and stir into a paste. Add more broth or water if too thick. It should be thin enough to pour back into the skillet.
Pour the paste into the skillet with the mussels, stir and then add the wine. Stir and cover. Cook until the mussels begin to open and then add the tomatoes, the butter and the tarragon.
Stir, and serve!