This style of mussels is so delicious. Most importantly, the broth that rests at the bottom of the bowl is heavenly. This is my recipe for Mussels with Basil–Garlic Breadcrumbs.

Having the toasted flavored bread crumbs nestled inside the shells gives great texture to the mussels. The fresh herbs and garlic add extra flavor. It’s so simple to make. Let me show you.

This is the point where you would add the red pepper flakes. I like a little heat but not too much.

Prep Time for the Mussels: 1 hour 30 minutes (includes filtering the sand from the mussels into the sink, cleaning, and refrigerating the mussels)
Cook Time for the Mussels: 5-7 minutes
Prep Time for the Bread Crumbs: 10 minutes
Cook Time for the Bread Crumbs: 5-7 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 54 minutes
Yields: 2 servings (1 1/2 pounds per person)
Equipment: large stockpot, spider, mini food processor, large mixing bowl, Microplane, chef’s knife, small scrub brush, cutting board

Ingredients for the Mussels:
3 pounds of mussels (PEI, Prince Edward Island) 
2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour

Ingredients for the Mussels with Basil-Garlic Breadcrumbs:
3 pounds of cleaned mussels
1 bottle of Chardonnay
1 tablespoon of Pernod
8 tablespoons of butter, unsalted and melted
1 tablespoon of kosher salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly-ground
2 1/2 cups of Italian-style seasoned breadcrumbs
5 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon zest
1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup of pine nuts, toasted
1 cup of Italian flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups of fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

Instructions for Prepping the Mussels:
I bought 3 pounds of PEI (Prince Edward Island) mussels at my local seafood store. After going through all of them, you may find ones that are open or cracked. This means they are no longer alive and are no good.

If you come across those that may be slightly open, you can do a quick test by giving them a good thump with your fingers; if they don’t close, get rid of them. They’re dead and no good. Then you may find some with a chipped shell from the shipping process. Get rid of them.

Next, when you’re scrubbing the outside shells, to remove the debris and whatnot, you want to remove the *beard from each mussel. Look, everything that’s worthwhile means doing the work. Great seafood recipes are no different.

Next, I fill my sink with water and add 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Using my hands, I swish the flour around until the water becomes cloudy. I add all the cleaned mussels to the water-filled sink. Mussels act like a filter and will drink the flour/water mixture and spit the water back out, along with any sand they may have inside their shells. This process only takes a couple of minutes. Then, I drain the water from the sink and spray the mussels down with clean water. I divide the mussels into three large Tupperware containers. Top each container with ice, then transfer the containers to the refrigerator for 30 minutes. It’s time to start on my broth for the mussels.

Instructions for Cooking the Mussels:
In a large preheated stockpot over medium-high heat, add the cleaned mussels. Pour in a whole bottle of white wine. Place the lid on and let the mussels steam. Once all the mussels have opened, they’re done. If you see any mussels that have not opened, discard them. I like to stir the mussels once through the steaming process so they can all drink up some of the wine. This whole process happens quickly, about 5-7 minutes.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add butter. Allow the butter to melt, then add kosher salt, fresh-ground black pepper, and Pernod. To the melted butter, add Italian seasoned breadcrumbs. Using a spatula, toss to coat. Folding the bread crumbs continuously until the breadcrumbs have absorbed the flavored butter and are nicely toasted, 5-7 minutes. Set aside.

Instructions for the Toasted Pinenuts:
In a large sautè pan, over medium heat, add the pine nuts. Swish the pan around occasionally, and toast the nuts until they are fragrant and light golden brown. Turn the heat off immediately. Transfer the pinenuts to a bowl.

Instructions for the Basil-Garlic Breadcrumbs:
In a food processor, add the garlic cloves and pulse until minced. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Next, add the Italian flat-leaf parsley and fresh basil leaves to a food processor. Pulse them a few times just until finely chopped but not minced. Transfer to the bowl containing the garlic, and mix to combine. Add the pine nuts, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes, again stir to combine. Finally, add the toasted breadcrumb mixture, and stir to combine.

To serve, ladle the mussels into a serving bowl. Finish by generously sprinkling the toasted basil-garlic breadcrumbs over the top.

There you have it, my Mussels with Basil-Garlic Breadcrumbs.

Notes:
1) During the cleaning of the mussels, they must remain as cold as possible. Once they’ve been cleaned, immediately return them to an ice-filled container.

2) *Beard: The beard is also known as byssus threads. They’re filaments that the mussel uses to secure itself to hard surfaces. They’re usually brownish and may appear somewhat like seaweed.

3) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2016/01/10/mussels-updated/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2013/11/09/mussels-three-ways/

https://lindalouhamel.com/2013/10/16/mussels-oregano/