Steamed Mussels with Saffron

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

• 2 shallots, thinly sliced or minced

• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or minced

• 2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped (or use 1-2 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved)

• 3/4 cup of white wine

• 1 big pinch of saffron

• Kosher Salt (or any salt will be fine)

• Ground Black Pepper

• 2-3 pounds of mussels

• Fresh Parsley (or Parsley flakes should be fine)

• 1 tablespoon of Aleppo Pepper to add some sweet spice (optional)

First step: Clean your mussels!!

Grab a bowl big enough to hold your mussels and submerge them in cold water. Move mussels around and brush with a sponge to remove dirt, then debeard the mussels.

Instructions:

1. Make saffron broth: Steep saffron in white wine for about 10 minutes

2. While your saffron steeps in the white wine, melt your butter on medium heat in a pot/pan big enough to hold your mussels.

3. Add your garlic cloves and shallots and cook for about 3 minutes. (cook until garlic is soft and shallots are transparent). - stir to incorporate ingredients.

4. Add your tomatoes and pour in your white wine with saffron.

5. Add 1 tablespoon of Aleppo Pepper (optional)

6. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper

7. Add your mussels (discard any mussels that don’t open after cooking)

8. Cook for 6-8 minutes (stir or shake pan/pot to mix ingredients, but don’t get too crazy, don’t overdo it)

9. Serve on a plate with broth and topped off with some Parsley.

Tips on mussels:

Before cooking: If a mussel is open, it can be a sign that it is either alive or dead. Tap the mussel on the counter two times; if you see it slowly closing, it is alive, and you can use it. If not, it is dead and not fresh, so throw it away.

After cooking: If a mussel is still shut/closed after cooking, don’t eat it; discard it.