Classic French Mussels Done Light
By: Scott Koeneman
Published: Monday, January 11, 2010 - 10:51pm

Ingredients




1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 pounds mussels, cleaned
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
4 tablespoons unsalted light butter, cut into pieces
1/2 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
Kosher saltMussel

Preparation

1 Scrub mussels with a stiff brush, discard any that are open and stay that way even when you close the shell. Discard any with broken shells. 2 Soak them in cool clean water for at least an hour. Mussels are alive and breathing and have taken in sand over time. This allows them to expel the sand. 3 Mussels have a small fibrous "beard" that should be removed. Pull it out toward the hinge of the shell to keep from injuring the mussel. 4 Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the mussels, wine, buttermilk, butter, and parsley and season well with the kosher salt. Give it a good stir, cover the pot, and cook until mussels open and are cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Divide the mussels and the juices between 2 bowls and serve with a crusty whole-grain bread to sop up that wonderful sauce.

About


This is a lighter version of the original, but is still rich and wonderful.