Reclaim your mind, body & spirit
To make
First clean the mussels – under cold running water, clean the mussels and remove any barnacles or bits of the rope the mussels were attached to. Discard any mussels that are broken or that don't close when tapped with a knife. Leave to drain.
In a very large pan ( I use a stainless steel marmite) heat the olive oil and add the onions, garlic, mustard, bay leaves and black pepper. Fry gently until the onion is soft.
Add the wine or cider and bring to a simmer for about 1 minute then tip in the mussels, 2 of the lemon quarters and the parsley.
Put the lid on the pan and give it a good shake then cook, covered for about 3-4 minutes.
Give it another good shake and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Discard any mussels that haven't opened during cooking.
Serve the mussels in wide bowls with the remaining lemon quarters. Scoop out the pinky flesh with a fork then enjoy the rich salty broth.
If you want something to soak up those delicious juices, you could serve with some keto bread.
Steamed Mussels in White Wine and Garlic
Mussels are a real Primal food. There is little doubt that our hunter-gatherer ancestors living close to the sea would have gathered and eaten all kinds of fish and shellfish. Mussels are also amazingly nutritious – they are a good source of protein, low carb and low fat; in addition, they are an excellent source of a range of vitamins and minerals including vitamins B12, A and C as well as selenium, potassium and Omega 3. They are also very cheap so you can rustle up a great meal cheaply and very quickly.
The saying goes that you should only eat shellfish when there's an 'R' in the month so autumn is a perfect time to try these – they're tender and delicious and you end up with a beautiful broth that tastes of the sea.
On a note of caution, unless you know what you're doing (in which case I guess you don't need this recipe) get your mussels from a reputable source rather than gathering your own as non-farmed mussels can carry diseases, depending on where they have been living.
Ingredients for two people
1 net (about 1kg) fresh live mussels
4 tblsp olive oil
1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 good tsp French mustard
2 bay leaves
100ml white wine or cider
1 lemon cut into quarters
Black pepper
2 tblsp fresh parsley, finely chopped