Is there anything more tantalizing than wine, shallots, cream, and tarragon dripped deliciously over succulent mussels? The answer is NO! Mussels are a hugely overlooked, inexpensive, and delicious food source. Even better, they're one of the most sustainable meat sources you could possibly choose! You must sop up the salty-sea, winey, tarragon-flavored cream with your favorite gluten-free bread. Slurp it with a spoon, or just drink it from the bowl. Whatever you decide to do, we are confident you’ll find a way to get all the goodness into your belly where it belongs!
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves 6
Ingredients:
2 cups dry white wine
⅓ cup minced shallots
1 bouquet garni ( bundle of 2 thyme sprigs, 1 bay leaf, and 8 parsley sprigs), optional
48 mussels, debearded, scrubbed, and rinsed
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons arrowroot (or your choice of thickener)
⅓ cup minced tarragon, or parsley
squeeze of lemon juice
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Combine the wine, shallots, bouquet garni, and a grind of pepper in a large pot. Bring the wine mixture to a boil and cook over high heat for about 5 minutes. Add the mussels, cover tightly with a lid, and cook for about 3-5 minutes more, shaking the pan occasionally to loosen any grit.
When the mussels have opened, transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon, reserving the cooking liquid. Discard the bouquet garni and any unopened shells. Keep the mussels warm.
If the liquid has any sand or grit sitting at the bottom of the pot, simply pour off the top liquid into a clean saucepan, leaving the grit behind. If you don’t see any sand or grit, bring the liquid back up to a boil.
Mix the cream and arrowroot together in a small bowl, pour it into the boiling liquid, and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the minced tarragon, a squeeze of lemon, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste.
Divide the mussels into 6 shallow bowls and spoon the sauce over top.