Nearly all of my favorite ingredients are contained in this dish: french mustard, shallots, and herbs! I find all of these flavors amazing. Miraculously, our kids like to eat these little shellfish—as a result, this food signifies celebrations and happy times for my people. For me, it’s the food of my ancestors—eaten by Europeans on the North Sea and especially the Dutch (and Belgians, but I’m not Belgian!). Combined with plenty of crusty bread, seriously flavourful cheeses, and a fresh green salad, this recipe is my comfort and celebration food. Like risotto, mussels do not wait for the people—the people wait for the mussels—so cook these with friends or your family standing near, cocktail in hand! Perfect for all occasions—not just birthdays.
This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free.
Birthday Mussels
Serves four, generously
4 pounds mussels (scrubbed under water and beard removed. Discard the mussels that are not open—they are dead!)
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup diced shallots
1 small (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 cup white wine
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon saffron
1 teaspoon salt
In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over a low flame.
When the oil appears shimmery, add shallots and stir a bit. Continue stirring every minute for five minutes until shallots are softened and translucent.
Add thyme and stir a bit, then add dijon, saffron, tomatoes, salt, and wine. Stir until there are no lumps in the sauce. Allow this to boil and reduce for 4 minutes.
Add the mussels. I do this by picking them up with two hands and placing them carefully in the pan so as not to break the shells. Turn heat up to high and cover for 4 minutes or until the shells just begin to open.
Remove from heat and place directly on the table, or wherever you are eating. Serve with individual bowls for each person and a large bowl for discarded shells.
Find more great food recipes in my second book, Lark Parties! #livinglark
