Mussels With Bacon And White Wine Recipes

Steps:

• To clean the mussels, put them in a large bowl with 2 quarts of water and the flour and soak for 30 minutes, or until the mussels disgorge any sand. Drain the mussels, then remove the "beard" from each with your fingers. If they're dirty, scrub the mussels with a brush under running water. Discard any mussels whose shells aren't tightly shut.
• In a large non-aluminum stockpot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 5 minutes; then add the garlic and cook for 3 more minutes, or until the shallots are translucent. Add the tomatoes, saffron, parsley, thyme, wine, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
• Add the mussels, stir well, then cover the pot, and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until all the mussels are opened (discard any that do not open). With the lid on, shake the pot once or twice to be sure the mussels don't burn on the bottom. Pour the mussels and the sauce into a large bowl and serve hot.

Steps:

• Cook bacon over a medium high heat in a wide saucepan until rendered and crisp. Drain off some of the fat. Add shallots and apple. Cook until slightly caramelized. Add mussels and stir to coat. Deglaze with white wine, apple cider, and vinegar. Reduce slightly. Add cream, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook until all the mussels are open and the sauce is reduced and slightly thickened. Serve in the pan or transfer to a large, wide bowl. Serve with toasted country bread.

Steps:

• Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add in the leeks and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 7 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and continue cooking, while stirring, for 1 minute more.
• Drop in the mussels and stir the ingredients together gently until combined. Add the wine and thyme sprigs, cover the pan and simmer for 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in the cream, cover and simmer for another 5 minutes or until the mussels open.
• Serve with lots of crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

Steps:

• PREPARATION: Raw mussels MUST be alive when you cook them, so careful preparation is key. Wash them under cold running water until it runs clear, and scrub if necessary. Pull the 'beard' away from each individual mussel - this is the byssus thread, a protein the mussel 'spins' so it can attach itself to rock or rope. Drain and then check; if the shell is tightly shut, this is a good indication that it's alive. If the mussel is open, tap it sharply for a few seconds - if it is alive, it will close. Discard any that appear to be dead as they can decompose very rapidly, and eating one that you aren't sure of is not worth the risk. Don't check them too far in advance; cook within a few minutes to be on the safe side.
• Heat the butter in a pan large enough to easily fit the mussels, then fry the bacon for 4 mins, turning occasionally until it starts becoming crisp. Throw in the shallots and thyme leaves, then cook for 1 min until softened. Whack the heat up to maximum and add the mussels to the pan, then pour over the cider. Place the lid on the pan, give it a good shake, then cook the mussels for 5-7 mins, shaking the pan occasionally, until all the mussels have opened. Discard any that haven't.
• Use a slotted spoon to scoop the mussels into bowls and place the pan back on the heat. Bring the juices to the boil and stir in the crème fraîche, if using. Pour the sauce over the mussels. Serve with hunks of crusty bread for mopping up the sauce.
• COOKING TIPS: Mussels are most often steamed open over a small amount of flavoured liquid, as in Moules marinière, although they can also be oven roasted and are particularly good cooked 'en papillote' (in a bag). Wine, stock, beer and cider are all great for cooking mussels, but take care not to add salt to the liquid as mussel juice can be very salty. Drop the mussels into the liquid, cover with a tight-fitting lid, then cook until they have opened and the meat has settled into one side of the shell; this usually takes 3-4 minutes. Avoid overcooking as the meat shrivels and becomes tough. Check them all again before serving and discard any that haven't opened. If a mussel is unopened at this stage, this indicates that it was already dead. You will probably notice the colour of the meat varies between beige and orange. This is an indication of sex - beige for male and orange for female; there is no difference in flavour. Once cooked, mussels are usually lifted into a bowl and the cooking liquor is reduced by simmering. Pull the meat from one shell and then use that shell as a pincer to remove meat from the rest. Serve simply with crusty bread - lovely!

Steps:

• Scrub and de-beard the mussels. Heat half the butter in a pan, then sizzle the bacon for 3-4 mins until starting to brown. Add the leeks and thyme, then sweat everything together for 4-5 mins until soft. Turn the heat up high, add the mussels and cider or wine, then cover and cook for 4-5 mins, shaking the pan occasionally, until the mussels have opened. Discard any that don't open. Scoop the mussels and the other bits into a dish, then place the pan back on the heat. Boil the juices for 1 min with the rest of the butter, then pour over the mussels and serve with crusty bread.