This is a sublime and really quite elegant way to treat the once-lowly mussel. Hopefully you have access to nice clean mussels, preferably farm-raised, so when you buy them they’re without grit, barnacles, or wiry beards. All you need for a perfectly lovely meal is a salad—either Mixed Greens with Simple Shallot Vinaigrette or Green Bean, Walnut, and Feta Salad—some crusty country bread for sopping up all the luscious sauce, and, depending on the season, Cranberry-Pear Crisp with Almond Topping or Springtime Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble-Topping Pie for dessert.
image: eastandmain.ca
Mussels Steamed with Leeks and Mustard Cream
Brooke Dojny, Dishing Up Maine
3 Tablespoons butter
3 slender leeks, thinly sliced (white and pale green parts only)
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded, if necessary
1 cup dry white wine
2 bay leaves
1½ cups heavy cream
1 Tablespoon coarse-grain Dijon mustard
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Melt the butter in a very large, deep skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Combine the mussels, wine, and bay leaves in a large pot, cover the pan, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the shells open, 4 to 8 minutes, depending on size. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels to a bowl, discarding any that don’t open. Let the cooking liquid settle for a few minutes, then pour the clear broth into a glass measure, leaving any sediment behind.
Pour the broth into the skillet with the leeks, add the cream and mustard, and bring to a boil over high heat, whisking to dissolve the mustard. Cook, uncovered, until the liquid reduces by about one-third, about 5 minutes. The recipe can be made several hours ahead to this point. Cover the mussels and cream mixture and refrigerate separately. Bring to a boil before proceeding with the next step.
Add the mussels in their shells to the skillet and stir in the parsley and tarragon. Heat gently until the mussels are heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To serve, divide the mussels and sauce among four large, shallow soup dishes.
Note: To debeard mussels, pull out the dark threads that protrude from the shell. Do this just before cooking; mussels die when debearded.
Serves 4.
image courtesy of 
