(Last Updated On: February 7, 2019)

Mussels are one of my favorite things to share. It’s rare that I ever eat them alone. A pot of mussels in a savory sauce is meant to be shared. One of my favorite memories of sharing mussels is finding a restaurant in Sydney, Australia that served an all-you-can-eat mussels special on Tuesday nights. They had several different sauces to choose from, like mussels steamed in wine, Thai flavored mussels and mussels marinara. All served with another of my favorite things – a big side of french fries. But the best part of the dinner was getting caught in a huge rain storm on the way home. And while I’ll probably never replicate that night, eating mussels will always bring back that wonderful memory. So even if you don’t get caught in the rain on a romantic vacation in an exotic destination, I still recommend making the mussels and sharing them with someone special.

Mussels with Leeks, Garlic, Tomato and Wine

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Ingredients

• 2 lbs Black Mussels
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 4 Cloves Garlic - minced
• 2 Medium Leeks - Washed and diced, white and light green part only
• 4 Roma Tomatoes - Diced
• 1 1/2 Cups Dry White Wine
• Zest of 1/2 lemon, optional
• Handful Parsley for Garnish

Instructions

1. Scrub the mussels until they are completely clean.
2. Add the butter and olive oil to a large sauce pan over medium heat. W
3. When the butter is melted, add the leeks and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and continue to cook for about 5 minutes until the leeks are soft. Do not burn or over brown.
5. Add the tomato and wine and allow to simmer for about 2 minutes.
6. Add the mussels, cover and simmer for 5 - 7 minutes until the mussels open.
7. Discard any that do not open.
8. Garnish with the lemon zest and parsley and serve with crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

This mussel recipe can also be served over pasta. For a slightly thicker sauce, remove a portion of the sauce after the mussels are steamed and cook down to reduce. For a richer creamier sauce, add another tablespoon of butter or/and replace 1/2 cup of white wine with heavy cream.

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