Dinner After the Farmers' Market

When I get home from the Farmers’ Market, I always am excited by dinner prospects. It is hard to figure out what to cook, because my kitchen is often overflowing with fresh, delicious produce. One dinner, however, has become a household favorite. B and I eat mussels in a traditional garlic-wine sauce with a loaf of Ciabatta bread from Zu Bread. The bread is wonderfully absorbent and chewy; a perfect tool to soak up the delicious broth from the mussels. We add a fresh vegetable salad made from greens and whatever else looks good. This dinner is perfectly finished with ice cream topped with fresh berries.

Mussels (Adapted from Blue Dragon’s Favorite Wild Mussel Recipe)
Serves 2 hungry adults
Blue Dragon Mussels are sold at Crystal Spring Farmers’ Market. Harvested locally, these mussels are supremely delicious. They are also inexpensive, with market prices last posted at $2 per pound, or $5 for 3 pounds.

2lbs of native mussels
4 cloves of minced garlic
1/2 of a chopped, white or spanish onion
Butter or olive oil
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup fresh, mixed herbs (my favorite is a mix of parsley, thyme, and basil)

1. Wash the mussels in cold water. Pull off any beards that are still attached.
2. Cover the bottom of a large frying pan or pot with butter or olive oil. Over medium heat, add the garlic and onion. Sauté until the onions are translucent.
3. Add wine and water. Bring to a boil.
4. Add the mussels, and cover. Cook over medium high heat for about ten minutes, or until the mussels open.
5. Add the herbs, then cook for another 5 minutes
6. Crack fresh black pepper, and sprinkle salt to taste, over the mussels when done cooking.

Serve hot, in bowls, with the broth ladled over the mussels. (Don’t forget to put a clean bowl on the table for the empty shells.) Don’t eat any mussels that didn’t open. Use bread to soak up the delicious broth.