mussels with bacon and leeks

Everyone should have at least one thing that they feel confident making for a crowd. Something that they know is delicious and will reliably leave people satisfied. Mussels are a great option for that. They’re pretty inexpensive, cook quickly, and make for an impressive meal. You can flavor them so many different ways from a spicy tomato broth to this super savory version. Serve them piping hot with baguette or griddled sourdough.

To make, you will need a large heavy bottomed pot with a lid. A Dutch oven is perfect for this, but not necessary.

What to look for when buying mussels:

-Look for closed shells. There will always be a few open here and there but you are looking for a majority tightly closed, and not chipped. If some shells are slightly open, try pinching them closed again. If they stay closed, they are alive. If they open back up, they’re dead and should be discarded.

-Smell them. Just like with fresh fish, you are looking for a brine-y smell. They shouldn’t smell bad or super fishy.

-When you get home, put the mussels in a colander and rinse to remove any debris. Transfer to a bowl of cold, salted water (a few Tbsp. for a 2 lbs. bag). You should see bubbles begin to emerge from the shells. Let them soak for 20 minutes, then strain and inspect them. Discard any that are cracked or open, and remove the beards. This is a tuft that hangs from the side of the mussel. Tug it firmly away from the shell and towards the hinge to remove. Store them in a bowl in the fridge while you prepare the broth.

Ingredients:

2 lbs mussels

6-8 oz bacon, cut into batons

2 large leeks

1 lemon, zested

1 cup dry white wine

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

red pepper flake, optional

Step 1:

Prepare the leeks by slicing off the roots and then slice in half lengthwise. Slice into ribbons and transfer to a bowl of water. Give the leeks a vigorous stir with your hand and lift the leeks out of the water, into a clean bowl. This is to remove the silt between the layers of leek. All of the silt should sink to the bottom of the bowl. However you wash the leeks, do it well because they can be quite sandy and that will ruin a good dish!

Step 2:

Transfer the bacon to a large, heavy-bottomed pot. (Use what you will be cooking the mussels in. This will all come together in one pot.) Set the pot over medium low heat, to render the bacon. If the heat is too high, the bacon will crisp up before releasing its fat. Let it cook low and slow, until it crisps up. Remove from heat and transfer the bacon to a bowl. Keep about 2-4 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pot to cook the leeks in.

Step 3:

Place the pot over medium heat and add the leeks. Season and stir, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Allow to cook for 8-10 minutes or until the leeks are very soft and carameled. Add the bacon back to the pot and stir. Add the lemon zest and mustard and stir well, distributing the mustard evenly. Adjust the seasoning.

Step 4:

Add the wine and bring to a simmer. Immediately, add the mussels and stir to evenly coat. Place the lid on the pot and allow to cook for about 5 minutes. Check the mussels, You will know they’re done when they are completely open. This could take anywhere from 5-10 minutes. Once the majority are open, remove any that are remain closed and serve with bread. The mussels look great served in the Dutch oven they were cooked in. However, transferring them to a large bowl allows you to redistribute the broth, leeks and bacon over the top of the mussels.