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Recreate the iconic dish in the comfort of your own home.

Photo courtesy Food Network

From the Bachelor’s kitchen: steamed mussels

By Samuel Cheng

Published 10:37 PDT, Fri March 15, 2024

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The subject of food and drinks have been a universal language across cultures and nations around the world. The Richmond Sentinel shares delicious food and drinks recipes that anyone can make in the convenience of their own home through the experience of a young bachelor who is always in search of trying recipes that are achievable for the inexperienced chef before sharing with you as a contributing writer.

Today, we share the recipe of steamed mussels.

Utensils:

• a knife

• a cutting board

• a large bowl

• a large pot

• a long wooden spoon

• a ladle

• a large serving bowl

Ingredients:

• canola oil: 2 tablespoons

• shallots: 1/2

• garlic: 3 cloves

• salt: 2 teaspoons

• mussels: 4 pounds (P.E.I. or Salt Spring Island Mussels are recommended)

• dry, fruity white wine: 1/2 cup (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio are recommended)

• flat-leaf parsley: 2 tablespoons

• red chili flakes: 1 teaspoon

• unsalted butter: 3 tablespoons

• French baguette: 1 piece (Can substitute for country loaf, sourdough or a ciabatta)

Steps:

1. Wash, clean and debeard the 4 pounds of mussels. Discard any mussels that are open or gaping. (Note: You can check the signs of life of mussels by lifting them up and squeeze them a couple of times or by knocking them against other mussels. If they start to slowly close itself back up, it’s good for cooking. If not, toss them out)

2. On a cutting board and using a knife, peel half of a shallot and dice it into smaller pieces. Set them aside when done.

3. Peel 3 cloves of garlic and dice them into small pieces. (Note: Feel free to use more garlic if you like a more garlicky flavor)

4. Measure out 2 teaspoons of salt and rub them in with the minced garlic to create a garlic-salt paste.

5. Place the large pot on a stove and turn on the heat.

6. Add 2 tablespoons of canola oil into the pot.

7. Add the diced shallots, garlic-salt paste and the mussels into the pot in chronological order.

8. Add 1/2 cup of white wine into the pot. (Note: Feel free to add more if you like a more alcoholic taste)

9. Using a long wooden spoon, give the mussels a quick mix.

10. Cover the pot with a lid and steam the mussels for about 1 to 2 minutes or until all the mussels are open. (Note: If any of the mussels are unopened after cooking, discard them. Do not attempt to open and eat them as they maybe unsafe)

11. While the mussels are cooking, cut or rip the baguette into pieces. (Note: Feel free to pop the baguette pieces into the oven if you like crispy pieces)

12. Chop up 2 tablespoons of flat-leaf parsley.

13. Uncover the pot and add in 1 teaspoon of red chili flakes.

14. Add 2 tablespoons of chopped flat-leaf parsley.

15. Add 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter. (Note: Feel free to add more butter for a more buttery and creamier flavor)

16. Use a long wooden spoon, give the mussels a good mix to make sure every single mussel is immersed in the sauce.

17. Cover the pot with a lid for 1 minute.

18. Use a ladle to spoon out the mussels into a large serving bowl. Don’t forget to pour the sauce over the mussels at the very end!

19. Chop up a desired amount of flat-leaf parsley for garnish and serve the mussels with the baguette pieces.

Voila! A delicious bowl of steam mussels is ready for you to share with family and friends.

Steamed mussels are one of the easiest and beginner friendly dish anyone can recreate right in the comfort of their own kitchen. It is commonly served as an appetizer or as a main course on its own.

The creamy, garlic wine sauce, accompanied by fresh, juicy mussels are what makes this dish stand out from the rest. This recipe was created by the world-renowned chef Bobby Flay.

In order to successfully recreate this dish, one of the most popular types of mussels is needed. The Prince Edward Island or P.E.I. mussels, characterized by its dark blue shell and reputation for high-quality standards. P.E.I. mussels account for nearly 80 per cent of all mussel production in Canada. Nearly 44 million pounds were produced last year.

If you’re unable to get your hands on fresh P.E.I. mussels, Salt Spring Island mussels are a fantastic alternative. Being one of the many islands in the Strait of Georgia, Salt Spring Island mussels are truly a hidden gem in B.C. It has a rich, delicate and consistently sweet flavor like no others.

Whether you’re looking to start off a dinner feast with a bang, or if you’re simply a seafood enthusiast, be sure to give this recipe a try as it’ll leave you craving for more.

For the full recipe, please visit youtube.com/watch?v=eQ75BYq5-Dw