Recipe Monday: Pulling Mussels From a Shell

Previously, I had been afraid to make mussels because it just seems so involved. Nowadays, mussels are generally farmed and cheap, I got a couple pounds in a little net from Wegmans for like $6 which is a really good price imo. They're actually not as hard as you would think to make, you could make them during the week honestly. The shells are a little more fragile but not that much so.

Deb's Mussels in a White Wine Sauce

2 pounds cultivated mussels
2 cups white wine
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
5 cloves garlic, chopped
palmful of parsley, chopped
3 counts lemon juice
1 can organic diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed rinsed
2 whole wheat ciabatta rolls
salt and pepper to taste

Put the mussels in a bowl with water and ice for about a half hour to get rid of all sand and crap on them then drain using a pasta drainer. Discard any open mussels. Heat the oil and butter in a deep pan that has a lid that fits on it, uncovered. Saute the garlic. Add wine, parsley, lemon juice, tomatoes and salt and pepper until simmering. Add mussels and cover, checking periodically and stirring until most mussels open. Mine took about twenty minutes all told. Discard any mussels that did not open. Serve with bread to dip!