Mussels in White Wine and Tomato Broth

Mmmm....mussels. I love mussels! I have always been a seafood lover but there is something in particular that makes mussels one of my favorites. I think it has to do with the broth; even the simplest of broths becomes infused with the flavor of the mussels and in turn complements the mussels themselves. According to my plant biology professor, this can be described as a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship...but I simply refer to it as yummy!

Earlier last month my dad had bought live mussels from Costco and made them using two very delicious broths. I saw how easily he accomplished the task and decided that I could do it as well. I went online and did my research, mostly finding out how long to cook the mussels and how to properly clean them. As it turns out, the mussels that we bought were already cleaned which made the process even easier. In fact, when my dad saw me getting ready to clean them he looked at me with horrified eyes and stopped me immediately. As I look back on the experience, I think I should have noticed that none of the mussels had sand or beards on them. Luckily, he stopped me in time and no effort was wasted.

If starting with already cleaned mussels like I did, the whole process takes only 20 minutes from start to finish. Really, the longest part is the prep work of chopping the ingredients to get them ready and after that it's quite fast. Once you throw the mussels in the pot they take about 10 minutes to open...and voila, dinner is served. I personally found it really cool to watch the pot and see the mussels open in front of my own eyes; one minute they're closed and then *snap* they open up.

Another great thing I love about mussels is that it's a dish for sharing. I love the atmosphere that is created as everyone eats and shares not only the food, but their thoughts and experiences as well. I find that when sharing a meal, literally eating the food together, people tend to open up and create memorable experiences. The combination of eating, laughing, and drinking the night away is so enjoyable and I definitely think mussels facilitate that.

Mussels in White Wine and Tomato Broth

• 2 lbs. cultivated mussels
• 1 1/2 tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 shallots or 1/2 large onion, diced (if you want you can use a combination of the two)
• 3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3-4 large tomatoes, diced and 3/4 cup tomato juice or 1 14 oz (392 mL) can diced tomatoes
• 3/4 cup white wine
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped (makes about 1 cup chopped)
• Optional: 1/4 tsp red chili flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

1. If your mussels are already cleaned...yay! Otherwise, combine about 5 cups of cold water with 1/4 cup flour and whisk together. Soak the mussels for about 30 minutes and then drain. Scrub off any sand by running under water and using a coarse brush and remove the beards from each one. Rinse and set aside.
2. In a large pot combine the butter and olive oil over medium heat until melted. Add the shallots/onions and saute for about 5 minutes until they are soft. Add the garlic and continue to saute for another 3 minutes until the shallots/onions are translucent and you can smell the garlic.
3. Add the tomatoes, white wine, half of the cilantro, salt, pepper, and red chili flakes if using. Stir the mixture and bring it to a boil.
4. Add the mussels to the pot and stir well to get them all coated in the broth. Cover with a lid and reduce to a low heat. 
5. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until all of the mussels have opened up. Shake the pot a couple of times, keeping the lid on, to make sure that no mussels stick to the bottom.
6. Pour the mussels out onto a large dish with the broth contents over top. Serve alongside some crusty bread or french fries for dipping into the broth.