Creamy mussels — Adapted from the original recipe (opens in a new tab) Method ↓ Metric US Print Ingredients Copy 2 tbsp unsalted butter 1 small leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced 1 small shallot, thinly sliced 4 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced 2 bay leaves Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 cup hard dry cider or white wine 2lb mussels (see note) 2 to 3 tbsp homemade mayonnaise, crème fraîche, or heavy (double) cream 1 lemon, for 1 tsp grated zest and 1 tbsp juice 3 tbsp fresh parsley leaves, minced Additional homemade mayonnaise for serving 1 loaf rustic sourdough bread, thickly sliced, drizzled with olive oil, and broiled until heavily toasted Method Cook 01 Wash and set the mussels in water to cast out any remaning sand or grit (then do your prep) 02 Melt 1 tbsp butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add leeks, shallot, garlic, and bay leave. Season lightly with salt and heavily with black pepper and cook, stirring, until vegetables are very soft but not browned, about 10 minutes. 03 Increase heat to high and add cider or wine. Bring to a boil and let reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Add mussels, stir, cover, and cook, shaking pan constantly and peeking every 30 seconds to stir. As soon as all the mussels are open, transfer mussels to a bowl using tongs. Place pan lid over bowl to keep mussels warm. 04 Remove from heat and whisk in remaining butter along with mayonnaise or crème fraîche (if using). Return mussels to pot, add parsley, lemon juice, and lemon zest, stir to combine, then transfer to a warm serving bowl. Serve immediately with additional mayonnaise (if using) and broiled bread." Filed under French Seafood Main