White wine steamed mussels

My Dad's side of the family comes from Galicia, in the north west of Spain, where you can find some of the best seafood and wine in the world. If you ever go there, you’ll be able to discover one of the most expensive seafood in the market, called goose barnacles, as well as the economical and traditional mussels.

We absolutely love mussels! There are so many ways of cooking them, but today I’m going to show you one of the easiest: steamed mussels! It is as simple as putting them in a pot with a bit of liquid and flavours, covering them with the lid and let them steam in the evaporating liquid. As easy as that!

Of course, the more quality you use with the flavours added, the better! My advice? Use our own region’s awesome local garlic and onion, cook them well and choose a great white wine that you like to drink (I’d personally use an Albariño wine, a Spanish grape, or one of the many local amazing whites), add aromatics like bay leaves, grated tomatoes, etc, reduce well, and serve straight away to your family.

From a health point of view, you should know that mussels are a clean and nutritious source of protein! They are a great source of omega-3, zinc and iron, and are sustainably farmed with no negative impact on the environment.

Don’t be scared of them, trust me! Remember to buy mussels that look and smell fresh, with closed shells. You can press together the shells if any are open and if the shell doesn't close, the mussel is dead and should be discarded (also toss any with broken shells). You can even buy them now in vacuum packs that will make your shopping process and carrying them home much more convenient.

In my opinion, mussels are one of those seafood items that are super easy to cook at home.

And it allows you to use your hands, dipping crusty bread in the sauce and getting messy, one of the best parts about eating something delicious! 

Have fun with them! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

- 1kg mussels

- Splash of extra virgin olive oil

- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

- 1 onion, finely chopped

- 1 Bay leaf

- 1 glass of local white wine

- 2 fresh tomatoes, grated

- Salt to taste (be aware the mussels will already be salty)

Optional: a small piece of chilli for a little bit of heat.

Steps:

1.     Add a splash of extra virgin olive oil and add the chopped garlic. Stir until it changes colour.

2.     Add the onion on medium heat and cook gently and until soft. Add the bay leaf, turn the heat up and add the glass of wine.

3.     Reduce the white wine well, and then add the grated tomatoes (and the chilli if you like the heat).

4.     Add the mussels all at once and cover with a lid.

5.     After 10 to 15 minutes all your mussels will be opened.  Stir if necessary.

6.     Serve it with a good piece of crusty bread or with some garlic pasta to toss through.

Note: If you have leftover sauce when you finish, strain it and freeze it. It will be an amazing base for future elaborations!