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MUSSELS IN WHITE WINE RECIPE FOR DATE NIGHT AT HOME

I am excited to share this mussels in white wine recipe with you all today. Valentine’s Day will be upon us before you know it (eek, I have got to lose some weight before a family wedding and a trip south).  Feb 14th is one of the busiest days and weekends of the year for restaurants.  Combine this with cold winter temperatures and a depleted bank account after Christmas, and the prospects of spending a $100 on a dinner out and getting back into a car that will not start, doesn’t sound very romantic does it?

Now, do not get me wrong.  Evenings out and date nights are of the utmost importance to a marriage and as a result, your family.  Believe me; I have almost thirty years experience in this area.  The scheduling of which, just does not need to happen on Valentine’s Day.  Who needs a certain day to receive and express love anyway?

I am particularly blessed because my husband is a cook.  In fact, where I would call myself an inventive home cook, he is a professionally trained cook, having studied Food Service and Hospitality at Ryerson in Toronto.  Best of all, he loves to be in the kitchen and we love to cook alongside one another.  When you think about the act of eating, it is one of the most intimate things that you can possibly do together, and chopping and tasting before hand is a natural extension of that wonderful time.

Mussels in White Wine

Our kids are all grown up but our youngest daughter still lives at home and we still think that it is a thrill to have the kitchen to ourselves on a Saturday night.  I remember the days when our children were little and the stress of finding a babysitter (especially when all of our friends and family were also on the hunt), could become downright stressful.

So here’s my suggestion for a Valentine’s Day Dinner for two.  Chose a somewhat “exotic” ingredient like seafood or a fine cut of meat and plan on a late dinner.  If your kids get tucked in early enough, feed them and then change into that little black dress while they are brushing their teeth.  Once they are asleep, the evening can commence by pouring a nice glass of wine and turning the kitchen lights down low (not so low that you cut yourself while chopping though).  Select an easy and yet unique recipe that calls for imagination and trying something new.

Mussels in White Wine Prep

For example, we made this dish recently as we were taking a break in a movie that we had snuggled up to watch.  We could have prolonged the meal with a salad and dessert course (that was made ahead and sitting in the fridge) but in our case, we were anxious to get back to our movie.  From the time we hit “pause”, poked our heads into the fridge and were lifting up our forks in the candle light, it was 10 minutes (slightly longer if you decide to serve this with pasta-crusty bread will do).

Mussels in White Wine

 

Mussels in White Wine

Note: Set the table with an empty bowl for discarded shells.

Ingredients

  • 1 T garlic, minced
  • 2 T butter, (not margarine-it does taste different)
  • 2 pounds live/fresh mussels, drained and rinsed in cold water
  • 1 fresh tomato, diced
  • juice of one lemon
  • 2 c wine (any dry white or even rose)
  • 1/3 c fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Sautee the garlic in butter over medium heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot, until the garlic starts to become fragrant.
  2. Bring the temperature up to high and add the rinsed mussels.
  3. Throw in the tomato, lemon juice, wine and parsley and cover with a tight fitting lid.
  4. Let the mixture come to a boil (which in most cases will be about 5 minutes but depends upon your stove)-the steam in the pot will open and cook the mussels. Stir the mixture just once in this process.
  5. Ladle into a warmed bowl.
  6. If you are serving with bread, you can head to the table, if pasta, then proceed to the following:
  7. Any noodle with a broad surface will soak up the fabulous sauce. On this night we already had cooked spaghetti noodles in the fridge which I rinsed under hot water.
  8. Grind sea salt and cracked pepper over the pasta and then add your preferred amount of freshly grated Parmesan (in Italy cheese is never served with seafood pasta, but we love it).

You may also like this ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH BACON AND ONIONS RECIPE.

brussels sprouts

Kathryne Grisim grew up in the hospitality business and she and her husband of almost 30 years, owned their own family restaurant at one time.  She currently teaches social media and hospitality and is a food, travel and restaurant writer for Winnipeg Women Magazine, the Canstar newspapers, and her own blogs: www.foodmusings.ca and www.boomchicaboom.ca.  Food Musings was selected Winnipeg’s favourite blog by Uptown Magazine in 2012 and is Urban Spoon’s number one Manitoba Blog.  Kathryne is proud to be a regional ambassador for Food Bloggers Canada, Canada Beef and Sobey’s.  She is an imaginative cook and especially enjoys preparing food that will demonstrate to her family how deeply she cares for them.  In Kathryne’s world food=love!

loriag

Thursday 22nd of January 2015

The best muscles I have ever had were in PEI, I have never tried to make them, but I will have to give your recipe a try.

Natalie Rea (@Nat_Rea)

Friday 10th of January 2014

Love Mussels. Will try this for sure :)

Ericka @ Nibbles and Feasts

Friday 18th of January 2013

This looks perfect for V-day! Thank you!

Denise G

Friday 18th of January 2013

Seafood and Valentines Day seem to go together. A man cooking for you even better. I actually find it quite sexy. This year I don't have a partner so I won't be partaking in this holiday. But I will keep in mind for the next one.

Little Miss Kate

Thursday 17th of January 2013

I don't eat much sea food, but the pictures do make it look good!

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