When the editor asked for my go-to, dead-easy, tried-and-true dinner solution, I had the answer. Mussels, time and again.
True story: When I lived in Paris, I received a phone call late one afternoon from friends who had just arrived in town. Suddenly, there were eight people coming for dinner, and the tiny fridge in my tiny kitchen was bare.
I was not about to begin an elaborate cooking project, nor did I want to spend a pile of euros. And for this particular group, grilled cheese sandwiches were not an option. A quick trip to the fishmonger and a stop at the neighborhood boulangerie solved everything.
Though I usually don’t decide what’s for dinner until I peruse the possibilities, this time I knew it had to be mussels. Since mussels were in season (as they are most of the year in France), this was not a problem. Every fish market has them, trucked in daily from Normandy. I went home with two bags of shiny black bouchot mussels and a free bunch of parsley. At the bakery, I grabbed a couple of long baguettes, and my shopping was essentially finished.
My intent was to split the baguettes lengthwise, paint them with olive oil, toast them under the broiler and rub them with garlic. As for the mussels, I would throw them into the pot with garlic and parsley, along with a splash of white wine. Two big pots, actually. And that would be dinner. Those pots would go straight to the table with a big ladle, and everyone would get a soup bowl of mussels and broth, and a footlong garlic toast.
Back in the kitchen, it was quick work to check the mussels for broken ones and give the rest a rinse. There was the occasional “beard” to pluck, but most aquaculture mussels arrive beardless and clean these days. Because it would take only 10 minutes or so to steam them, this was going to be a stress-free meal.
I can tell you, it was a well-received feast. My guests got busy slurping and dunking and tossing empty shells into a handy receptacle. Then they went back for another bowlful. The wine flowed.
There are lots of ways to cook mussels with ingredients other than garlic and parsley. Some cooks add cream and a splash of Pernod. Chorizo and chopped cilantro make good mussel partners, too. But for me, this absolutely simple preparation will always be the best. And for a go-to dinner, simplicity wins every time.
Steamed Mussels with Garlic and Parsley
Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for toasts
2 garlic cloves, minced, plus 1 or 2 whole garlic cloves for rubbing toasts
Pinch of crushed red pepper
4 pounds mussels, cleaned
1/4 cup white wine or water
1 baguette, split lengthwise, then cut crosswise in half
1 cup roughly chopped parsley
Directions
1. Heat broiler. Put olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and red pepper and let sizzle for 30 seconds without browning. Add the mussels, stir to coat and increase heat to high. Add the wine or water, and put on lid. After 2 minutes, give the mussels a stir, then replace lid and continue cooking until all mussels have opened, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Paint cut sides of the baguette pieces with oil and place cut side up under broiler to toast. Rub toasts with the remaining garlic cloves.
3. Stir the chopped parsley into the mussels, then ladle mussels and broth into bowls. Serve with the garlic toasts.
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