$10 Mussels!

My husband is from Seattle and therefore we can be complete seafood snobs.  It is very hard being a seafood snob in a completely, land-locked state.  One place I can always count on is Costco. Unfortunately, the selection is usually pretty slim. That's why I was extra  excited when I saw PEI mussels,  4 pounds for only $10!  I have never made steamed mussels before but it was ridiculously easy! I used another Tyler Florence recipe, increasing the amount of butter and adding a good amount of red pepper to give it a spicy twist!  They were delish!  Even better with a nice crusty bread and a Hoegaarden!

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds mussels 
• extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoon butter
• 2 leeks, white parts only, finely chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 bunch fresh thyme
• 1 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Rinse the mussels under cold running water while scrubbing with a vegetable brush. Remove the stringy mussel beards as you wash them. Discard any mussels with broken shells.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks, garlic, and thyme and cook until the vegetables cook down to a pulp, about 5 minutes. Add the mussels and give everything a good toss. Add the white wine. Cover and steam over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, until the mussels open. Stir occasionally so that all the mussels are in contact with the heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and a drizzle of olive oil to the sauce remaining in the pot and swirl to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately.