Mussels in White Wine Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 lb fresh mussels
• 1½ cup dry white wine
• 4 clove garlic
• 1 shallot
• ¼ cup fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp butter (optional)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ½ loaf crusty bread (optional)

Steps

1. Clean mussels by scrubbing them and removing any 'beards'. Discard any mussels that are open and do not close when tapped.
2. Mince garlic and finely chop shallot. Roughly chop fresh parsley.
3. Heat olive oil (and butter, if using) in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add minced garlic, chopped shallot, and red pepper flakes (if using) and sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and softened.
4. Pour in white wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook for 2 minutes to allow some alcohol to evaporate.
5. Add cleaned mussels to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and stir gently. Cover the pot tightly and steam for 5-7 minutes, or until all mussels have opened. Discard any mussels that did not open.
6. Stir in fresh parsley. Serve immediately in large bowls, with crusty bread for dipping in the delicious broth.