(Harry's Continental Kitchens, Longboat Key, Florida)



Harry's Steamed Mussels
(Serves 6)
 1/2 cup garlic, chopped fine
1/2 cup shallots
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup butter
Fresh, chopped oregano and basil (1/2 tablespoon each)
1 cup of white wine
3 tomatoes, blanched, seeded and diced
(to blanch tomatoes, bring a pot of water to a boil, put your tomatoes in for 15 seconds,
then plunge them into ice cold water.)


Using a large pot, sauté garlic, shallots, onion and herbs in 1/2 cup butter until the onions are translucent. Add 1 cup white wine, tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil.
Set 5 lbs. of mussels in the pot and cover with a tight-fitting lid and turn on high. Stir the pot a few times as the lid begins to rumble; this is to evenly distribute the heat and the sauce. In 4-5 minutes the shells will pop open and the meats will ball up and pull away from the shell. If they are stringy or stuck to the sides of the shell, they are not fully cooked.As always with seafood, be careful not to over cook.
Place the mussels in a bowl with the sauce and top with scallions. Add a salad and some crusty French bread, and you've got a splendid lunch!
Wondering about the perfect wine with this meal? Harry recommends a Provence Rosé, Domain Templer Bandol. You can find it in our Deli.
Many people are nervous about preparing fresh, live mussels. Here are a few pointers that will set your mind at ease.
Thanks to Great Eastern Mussel Farms
What to Do
Discard dead mussels
(How to tell? Put them on ice for about 15 minutes,
tap them gently. Live mussels will begin to close.)

Throw out any mussels with broken shells.

Discard heavy, mud-filled mussels.

Check for a certified shellfish shipper's number
on the package or by asking the counter person.
Be aware that mussel shelf life is typically 9-14
days after packing at the plant, depending
on the season.
What NOT to Do
Never freeze live mussels

Do not over wrap or purchase wrapped mussels or
store mussels in airtight containers.
(They can suffocate.)

Do not eat mussels if you are allergic to shellfish.

Do not buy mussels that are displayed in live
lobster tanks or in shellfish display tanks.

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