Steamed Mussels to Ring Out the Old

On New Year’s Eve, we prefer to stay at home, just the two of us or with a few guests. One year, we had a guest who was spending the holiday alone. Our menu included dried meats and crackers to start, followed by steamed mussels. It’s a simple yet festive meal that doesn’t keep us tied to the kitchen all day. Having lived on the coast for over twenty years, mussels have become a comforting favorite for us.

New Year’s Morning
Helen Hunt Jackson, 1892

Only a night from old to new;
Only a sleep from night to morn.
The new is but the old come true;
Each sunrise sees a new year born.

We began the dinner with a glass of sparkling rosé and a charcuterie platter.

The table was set simply, with a white tablecloth and black napkins, accented by a few 3-D paper stars in white, black, and rosé.

Steamed mussels keep you warm…

Ingredients for 2 people

2 lb of cleaned mussels
1 carrot
1 leek
1 clove of garlic
Butter
1 small glass of white wine
13 oz vegetable broth
Salt and pepper
Baguette

Cooking

Place the mussels in a bowl of cold water. If they still need to be cleaned, brush them thoroughly with a small kitchen brush. And rinse one more time. Throw away all open mussels.

Cut the leek and carrot into julienne. Finely chop garlic.

Melt a bit of butter in a large pot. Stew julienne and garlic in butter. Add white wine and broth and bring to a boil. Carefully add the mussels and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Place the lid on the pot and let cook for about 5 minutes.

Serve the mussels with broth in deep plates with baguette on the side.

The table was decorated with a few 3-D stars in black, soft pink and white. PDF template for 3-D stars to be printed on light card stock. Instructions are included.

2013 / 2024