Missin' those buckets of Belgian moules et frites (mussels and fries) so Bob and I cooked us up a mess of mussels from the seafood department of the grocery store in Colorado. Maybe they weren't the freshest, but they tasted pretty damn good, with beer and bread.
Moules pour deux
(Steamed mussels for two)
Olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
2 cloves minced garlic
2 shallots, minced
12 oz bottle of beer – Lager suggested
2 lbs fresh mussels
2 Tbsp cilantro leaves and stems, minced
Pepper
Lemon
Grated parmesan cheese
Throw away any mussels that are broken or not tightly closed. Then soak them in cool water while you arrange your ingredients. Drain before cooking.
First open a bottle of beer to drink while cooking. Then heat a large pot over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter. Add shallots and cook until softened, but don’t let them get all brown and crispy. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds.
Add mussels to the pot, and pour in the beer. Put lid on an allow mussels to steam over medium heat until the shells are all open and the mussels inside are opaque. This should take about 5-6 minutes. Shake the pan occasionally to ensure even cooking.
Remove the mussels with a slotted spoon and place in serving dishes. Ladle broth from pot over each serving. Top with cilantro leaves, black pepper and a squeeze of lemon. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese to finish off. Serve with warm crusty bread to mop up the juices.
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