Mussels with Summer Tarragon Butter
I traveled to the Côte d’Azur two summers ago to meet my partner who was working there, and I think I ate mussels 7 days in a row. It’s the only thing I ever want in the summer: a big bowl of mussels with a glass of rosé on a patio. If I can do that in France, it’s a bonus.
We’re bringing the French Riviera to you! We like to use Pernod to enhance the tarragon-anise flavor profile. For a brilliant bright green, you can add extra herbs like basil and parsley. Heck, you could even add chopped fennel to sweat with your garlic and shallots to really hit it home.
Summer Tarragon Butter
makes 1#
shopping list —
1# butter, room temperature
2 shallots, minced
1/4# tarragon
zest of 1 lemon
salt to taste
for an extra green and herbaceous butter, add basil and parsley to the butter
equipment —
food processor
knife + cutting board
parchment paper
steps —
Finely chop the tarragon butter and mince the shallots.
In the food processor, mix together the butter, shallots, tarragon, and lemon zest until smooth. Season with salt.
Roll the butter in parchment paper if desired.
Mussels with White Wine & Summer Tarragon Butter
makes 2# mussels
shopping list —
1 bottle of rose + 2 glasses:)
2# mussels
1-2 shallots, minced or sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups white wine
1/2 cup pernod (optional - but it really adds a lot of flavor and enhances the tarragon/anise flavor profile)
4+ tbsp cold summer tarragon butter, cut into cubes
lemons
equipment —
colander
medium pot
steps —
Pour yourself a glass of rosé.
Rinse the mussels in cold water for one to two minutes and remove any beards you can. Drain in a colander. The mussels should smell like the sea. Some may have opened but will naturally close when you agitate them by either rinsing them or tapping them on the counter. If they don’t close after a few minutes, they might be dead. Discard any dead ones.
In a medium pot over medium to medium-high heat, add a splash of oil or butter. Add the shallots and sweat until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Add the mussels to the pot and give it a shake, then add in the white wine and pernod.
Allow the liquid come up to a boil. Cover with a lid and allow the mussels to steam open. Check the mussels after 1-2 minutes. Pull out any opened mussels to a serving bowl. Once all the mussels have opened and have been removed, allow the wine to reduce by half. Then, whisk in cold summer tarragon butter into the broth a few cubes at a time to emulsify the butter.
*Chef Tip! If the sauce breaks and the butter separates from the liquid, vigorously whisk in cold water until it’s smooth.
Pour the white wine sauce over the mussels and give it a healthy squeeze of lemon juice. Serve with crusty bread and top off your glass of rosé.
Storing Tips
When I buy mussels from the grocery store, I typically like to use them the day I bought them. It seems like if I wait longer than that, a good amount of them have died already. Store your mussels in a colander with a damp towel over top or in an inverted bowl inside a larger bowl to keep them out of any excess water. You can cover them with ice, but be sure you have drainage. Mussels shouldn’t be stored in water.
