Mussels in Creamy Garlic Sauce
Wishing you a great 2019 filled with fantastic food!
Happy 2019….
Growing up I never ate seafood. I love the ocean and the life that exists there, the unknown! I also had dreams of becoming a marine biologist, saving the ocean and by me not eating seafood I was helping.
Well that all changed in 2010 when we were on holiday in Cape Town and all I wanted to eat was seafood . Two weeks later I found out that we were expecting our first child. Suddenly I couldn’t stop eating seafood and now we eat seafood at least once a week. My 8 year old is obsessed with seafood from the time he was a baby and well ever since he was sharing my body with me. He changed me… I now love Seafood and Still love the Marine Life! I found peace!
Seeing that I never ate seafood, I never cooked it much. I did dabble my hand at some seafood dishes to impress the then boyfriend…. And it worked because he is now the husband!
My seafood dishes have improved tremendously, thanks to my 8 year old and his insatiable appetite, but mussels are not something I ever tried cooking. My son’s dish of choice in December was mussels, if we went out to eat and the restaurant had mussels on the menu then he ordered it. One evening when we were out, whilst indulging on his mussels, my 8 year old says to me, “Mum, I’m sure the way you make mussels are way better then the restaurants!”. I almost chocked on my favourite (boring) pasta dish, Penne Arabbiata. I had to tell him that me, his mum who cooks everything, has never cooked it before. Well that evening happened a month ago and I am glad to let you know that tonight was the 4th time we have had mussels in our home. It even featured as a starter on our Christmas menu.
It really is so simple and I am wondering why I was acting like an 8 year old not wanting to make it.
Mussels in Creamy Garlic Sauce
800grams half shelled mussels
butter and a dash of olive oil
4 cloves garlic crushed
juice of 1 lemon (I always use fresh, lemon juice is something that you will NEVER find in my home)
1 onion finely diced
half a bunch parsley
250 ml cream
250 ml white wine (I drank the rest!)
1 chicken stock cube
salt and pepper
Heat your saucepan add butter and a touch of olive oil
Add onions, allow to cook until translucent
Add garlic, cook for a minute (don’t let it burn)
Add white wine and reduce (about 5 minutes)
Add stock cube, lemon juice and cream
Allow the sauce to thicken
Season with salt and pepper and switch off
Rinse the mussels thoroughly in a colander and throw them into the pot and cover.
Turn on the heat and simmer for 8 minutes.
Sprinkle with chopped parley
Check seasoning
Serve hot with crispy bread of your choice.
Enjoy Remember Life is too short to eat Bland Food, so eat your way through 2019