MAKES 4 SERVINGS
One of my oldest friends, and most trusted kitchen advisors, Timothy Peterson, introduced me to this mussel recipe and it’s been my go-to ever since. It includes the usual suspects—wine, garlic, and butter—but is elevated with mustard and apple cider. My favorite part is the addition of roasted cauliflower and fennel, which transforms a pot of mussels into a meal on its own.
MUSTARD BUTTER
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion
2 tablespoons mashed Roasted Garlic (here); or 2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1½ teaspoons sriracha
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black peppercorns, preferably smoked
ROASTED VEGETABLES
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ head cauliflower, broken into florets
1 small bulb fennel, fronds removed, cored, and cut on a diagonal into ¼-inch slices
APPLE-CIDER MUSSELS
1½ cups apple cider
½ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
3 pounds mussels, preferably Prince Edward Island (see Note), scrubbed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. To make the mustard butter: Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
2. Process the onion, roasted (or minced) garlic, mustard, sriracha, vinegar, and pepper with the remaining 7 tablespoons butter in a mini–food processor until the mixture is well combined. Transfer to a small bowl. (The butter can be covered and refrigerated for 1 day. Bring to room temperature before using.)
3. To roast the vegetables: Position racks in the top third and center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F.
4. Whisk the lemon juice, oil, and minced garlic together in a small bowl. Toss 2 tablespoons of the oil mixture with the cauliflower in a large bowl and spread on one side of an 18-by-13-inch half-sheet pan. Repeat with the fennel and remaining oil mixture, and spread on the opposite side of the sheet. Bake, occasionally stirring each vegetable without mixing them, until they are lightly browned but al dente, about 20 minutes.
5. To cook the mussels: Bring the apple cider and wine to a boil in a large stockpot over high heat. Add the mussels and cover tightly. Cook over high heat, shaking the pot occasionally, until all of the mussels have opened, about 5 minutes. During the last minute of cooking, add the roasted vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Divide the mussels, vegetables, and cooking liquid among 4 large deep bowls. Top each with one-quarter of the mustard butter. Toss and serve immediately.
Note: Prince Edward Island mussels, harvested in Nova Scotia, are “beardless,” so do not have the thick cord-like protrusion that would otherwise need to be removed before cooking. Standard mussels use the beards to attach themselves to rocks and pilings. If you use standard mussels, use a pair of pliers to tug the beard from each mussel.