When you first think of mussels you do not think...cheese! Guess what? It works! You will be so surprised at just how well it complements the mussels. Adding bacon just elevates this recipe to celestial heights. I swear you will want to drink this sauce! Do not forget to have plenty of crusty bread to mop up all of the lovely sauce. Take it a step further and fry up some crispy, thin french fries "frites". Serves 2 as a main meal or 4 as a starter. Easy enough for a weeknight and elegant enough for company. OH MY YUMMMM. Enjoy xoxo
Mussels with Blue Cheese and Portuguese Vinho Verde
Serves 2
1 kg. Fresh live mussels, cleaned and debearded
1 Large red onion
100 g. Smoked bacon diced
150 g. Blue cheese I used French brand Agur
3 Cloves of garlic finely chopped
175 ml. Fresh double cream
250 ml. Portuguese Vinho Verde (any dry white will do)
60 ml. Extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. Salted butter
1 Juice from one whole lemon
50 g. Fresh flat leaf parsley finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1. In a large frying pan, heat olive oil and add bacon. Cook until brown and crisp. Lower heat to medium.
2. Add onion and garlic, stirring occasionally for two minutes.
3. Pour in wine and add cheese broken into small chunks. Stir occasionally, let come up to a gentle boil until cheese melts about 5 minutes.
4. Add butter, cream and pepper to taste. Do not add salt yet as mussels are naturally salty. Add lemon juice.
5. Add mussels to sauce and cover. Do not open the lid! Gently shake the pan back and forth to make sure mussels are opening evenly. Cook 8-10 minutes.
6. Open lid discard any mussels that haven't opened. Taste sauce, adjust salt to taste. Add fresh parsley. Serve with plenty of hot, delicious, rustic country bread.
