Confession: I’ve never made mussels at home before and I was very nervous how this was going to turn out. I was pleasantly surprised how easy and incredibly tasty these were, and to top it off, they’re pretty darn healthy. I picked up my mussels at Whole Foods, they cost me a total of $1.50, yes you read that right! I thought it was some sort of mistake, but they sold it by the pound and not per mussel. Because the husband is allergic to shellfish, I halved this recipe and it turned out perfectly. I’m realizing more and more each day the importance of cooking not just for your family and friends, but also yourself. It’s nice to treat yourself to a delicious meal for one when you’re alone and not just fall back on take-out or frozen meals. Just do it!

So moral of the story is, I will be making these again because they were absolutely Good Eats! On to the recipe…

Because my mussels were so affordable, I splurged a little on this beautiful heirloom tomato. The difference in taste is dramatic!

Chop up the tomato, leeks, garlic and some parsley
Put some olive oil in a pot and saute the garlic

Then add in the leeks. I realized I don’t use leeks enough, they’re delicious!

Now if you’re like me (a complete loon) say goodbye to the mussels and tell them it will all be over soon 😦 …

Add in the tomatoes to the garlic and leeks

Pour in some white wine

Put the steamer tray right on top of the pot with the veggies and steam for about 3 minutes

 Check to see if they’re all open, if not, give them another 30 seconds and pull them out. Be sure to discard all that don’t open. I got lucky and all of mine opened. I’m convinced it was the little pep talk I had with them.

As you can see, the mussels released some delicious juices into the veggies. We’re going to get to this in a few seconds.

Take a few of the mussels and drop them right into your blender. These little guys are going to give the sauce that nice creaminess that you would normally get from…well…cream.

Now pour in those juices from the pot

And blend until smooth! This sauce is TO DIE FOR!!!

Pour over the leftover mussels and sprinkle on parsley.

That’s all there is to it! Pour yourself a glass of that leftover wine you used for steaming, and enjoy a delicious meal in no time at all that’s super fancy 🙂 Serve with a nice piece of crusty bread for dipping. Don’t be afraid of mussels, they’re a lot easier to make than you think. I really hope you give this one a try!

Mojo Moulies

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 large leek, cleaned, trimmed, and chopped
Pinch kosher salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
20 mussels
1 ripe tomato, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 cups white wine
Chopped parsley

Directions

In the stockpot, sweat the garlic, leeks, and salt in the olive oil until softened over medium-low heat. Place the mussels in the colander and spray them with cold water to remove any excess dirt or grit. Remove any beards with a pair of needle-nose pliers. (I had the fishmonger at Whole Foods do this for me)

Add the chopped tomato and the wine to the stockpot and turn the heat to medium high, and bring to a simmer. Insert the colander of mussels into the stockpot and cover. After 3 minutes, check to see if the mussels have opened. If some are still closed, cover the pot, and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Discard any unopened mussels.

Place the mussels in a serving bowl. Remove 10 mussels from their shells and add them to the stockpot. Using a stick blender or a bar blender, puree the mussels until the liquid is of a sauce-like consistency.

Pour the sauce over the mussels and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with a loaf of crusty bread.