First buy mussels that are fresh from a store that knows good seafood. Just before cooking, look over the mussels and discard any that are opened and appear to be drying out. Remove any woolly beards that are attached to the shell. Don’t do this too much in advance as it will kill the mussels. Place the mussels in a colander and quickly rinse. Immediately start the recipe below.
½ cup (125 mL) beer
1 Tbsp (15 mL) minced garlic
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 fresh tomato, cored and chopped
2 lb (about 1 kg) mussels
1 Tbsp (15 mL) chopped cilantro (or green onion)
1 Tbsp (15 mL) butter (or olive oil)
Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high and add the beer, garlic, jalapeno, and tomato. Bring to a boil and add the mussels. Cover with a lid and cook for 4–5 minutes, or until most of the shells have opened. Remove the lid and add the cilantro and butter. Stir to mix and cook for an additional 1–2 minutes.
Transfer to a large serving bowl and enjoy with fresh bread. Discard any mussels that didn’t open.
SERVES 4