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White Wine Garlic Mussels

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Frozen mussel meat is one of those ingredients I like having around because there’s almost no preparation involved, but it’s very easy to overcook.

For this recipe, most of the actual cooking happens before the mussels even enter the pan.

I start with shallot, garlic and a little butter, then add a generous amount of dry white wine and let it reduce. Only once the wine has concentrated do the mussels go in, and they stay there just long enough to heat through.

The final piece of butter goes in off the heat, turning the reduced wine and mussel juices into a light, glossy sauce.

There’s no cream and not much else competing with the mussels. Just garlic, wine, butter, a little chilli if I feel like it, lemon and something fresh at the end.

And for this one, I’d consider the crusty bread part of the meal rather than an optional extra. There’s going to be sauce left in the bowl, and that’s probably the best bit.

White Wine Garlic Mussels

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Prep 1 hour 10 minutes
Cook 15 minutes
This recipe is designed specifically for frozen mussel meat rather than shell-on mussels. The white wine is reduced before the mussels are added, giving the sauce plenty of flavour without requiring cream. Because frozen mussel meat is commonly already cooked, the mussels only go into the pan at the end so they stay tender rather than becoming chewy.
Course Main Course
Cuisine European inspired

Ingredients

Mussels
  • 500 g frozen mussel meat thawed
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 10 g unsalted butter
  • 1 small shallot finely diced
  • 3 tsp minced garlic
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes optional
  • ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
White Wine Butter Sauce
  • 150 ml dry white wine
  • 15 g cold unsalted butter
  • 2 tsp –2 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • Salt only if needed
To Finish
  • 2 spring onions green parts finely sliced
  • Extra black pepper
  • Lemon wedges
To Serve
  • Crusty sourdough or other good bread
  • Extra virgin olive oil optional

Method

Thaw the mussels
  1. Thaw the mussels overnight in the refrigerator.
  2. Ideally, place them in a sieve or colander set over a bowl so they’re not sitting in all the liquid released as they defrost.
  3. Once completely thawed, drain well.
  4. Pat them reasonably dry with paper towel.
  5. Keep refrigerated until you’re ready to cook.
  6. Check whether they’re already cooked
  7. Check the packaging.
  8. Most frozen mussel meat is already cooked, in which case you’re essentially reheating it in the finished sauce.
  9. If yours is raw, it needs to be cooked completely according to the packet directions.
  10. The cooking times below assume pre-cooked frozen mussel meat.
Start the aromatics
  1. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat.
  2. Add the olive oil and 10 g butter.
  3. Once the butter begins foaming, add the finely diced shallot.
  4. Cook for approximately 2–3 minutes, until softened but not heavily browned.
  5. Add garlic
  6. Add the garlic and optional chilli flakes.
  7. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring continuously.
  8. You want the garlic fragrant but not browned.
  9. Add the white wine
  10. Pour in the 150 ml white wine.
  11. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a strong simmer.
  12. Scrape the bottom of the pan to release anything that has started sticking.
  13. Let the wine reduce by approximately half, which should take around 3–5 minutes.
  14. This step is important.
  15. If you add the mussels immediately after adding the wine, they’ll be sitting in the pan while you’re waiting for 150 ml of alcohol and water to reduce. That’s exactly how already-cooked mussels become rubbery.
  16. Add the mussels
  17. Once the wine has reduced, add the drained mussel meat.
  18. Add the black pepper.
  19. Toss gently through the sauce.
  20. For pre-cooked mussels, cook for approximately 2–3 minutes, just until they’re thoroughly heated.
  21. Don’t keep simmering them once they’re hot.
  22. Finish with cold butter
  23. Turn off the heat.
  24. Add the remaining 15 g cold butter.
  25. Gently toss or swirl the pan as the butter melts into the reduced wine and mussel juices.
  26. The sauce should become slightly glossy while remaining quite light.
  27. This isn’t supposed to become a thick butter sauce.
  28. Add lemon
  29. Start with 1 teaspoon lemon juice.
  30. Taste.
  31. Add the second teaspoon if you think it needs more acidity.
  32. Don’t automatically add salt. Mussels can contribute considerable salinity themselves, so taste the finished sauce first.
  33. Add spring onion
  34. Add most of the finely sliced green spring onion and toss briefly.
  35. Transfer everything to a shallow serving bowl.
  36. Finish with the remaining spring onion and another crack of black pepper.
  37. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and plenty of crusty bread.

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About the Author

Gary
Creacipes started as a place to keep track of the recipes I actually want to cook again. These days, I rarely follow recipes exactly. Between cooking at home, experimenting with ingredients and running POP UP Dumpling Bar, I’ve learned to cook more by feel and adjust things to suit my own taste. If something turns out well, this is where I write it down.

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