Mussels in Saffron and White Wine Broth

Inexpensive, easy, delicious. Pretty much what we want every recipe to be! These mussels come together in under an hour and are deceptively impressive! In my opinion, these make for an ideal al fresco meal. Served alongside some grilled crusty bread, these mussels are light enough for brunch or lunch but filling enough for a satisfying dinner. In conclusion: not only inexpensive, easy, and delicious but impressive and versatile as well! That’s a yes for me.

PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES

COOK TIME: 40 MINUTES

YIELD: SERVES 4-6

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion, sliced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

black pepper

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon tomato paste

2 cups dry white wine

2 cups chicken stock

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 medium pinch saffron, about 30 threads

¼ cup heavy cream

4 pounds mussels, cleaned and debearded

chopped chives, for garnish

chopped parsley, for garnish

Method

In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-low heat. Once melted, stir in onions, salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cover and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove lid and increase heat to medium, stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, 2-3 minutes.

Increase heat to medium-high, pour in white wine and simmer until reduced by about a quarter, about 5 minutes. Once reduced, add stock, lemon juice, and saffron. Simmer until reduced by about a quarter, about 8 minutes.

Stir in cream and adjust seasoning to taste. Place mussels in the pot and cover immediately. Steam until mussels have opened, about 8-10 minutes. Halfway through cooking, using a kitchen towel, give the covered pot a shake to redistribute mussels.

Transfer mussels into serving bowls, discarding any unopened mussels. Pour broth over mussels and garnish with desired amount of chives and parsley. Serve with grilled crusty bread.

A note on saffron: saffron is usually ‘bloomed’ in liquid before being added to a dish to bring out its flavor. In this dish, I find the saffron simmers in broth long enough that it blooms while cooking. Eliminating the need for this extra step.

A note on mussels: scrub mussels clean under cold running water, discarding any mussels that are open. Many mussels will have some tough fibers extending from the shell, known as their ‘beard’. Give this a sharp downward tug to remove. Do this just before you are ready to cook.