This is a match made in heaven…Real Ale and mussels! Known as “the poor man’s oyster”, mussels are immensely popular in Europe, particularly in Spain and France and are now gaining popularity in the US. In addition, they are an excellent source of protein and contain a number of vitamins and minerals that are extremely beneficial to us! Here’s how you prep them:
Heat olive oil in a skillet. Saute shallots and carrots along with the thyme on medium low heat until soft. Add beer and stir scraping the pan. Increase heat to medium to medium high and let some of the beer cook down. Add the chicken stock and butter and let come to a boil. Add mussels and cover immediately. Turn off heat and let mussels steam for a couple of minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when all of them open.
Check your seasoning.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs of fresh live mussels
- 1 shallot
- 1 large carrot
- 4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 2T olive oil
- 1 c chicken broth
- 2T butter
- 1 bottle of Real Ale (Firemans #4 works well as does Devil’s Backbone)