Where do I buy mussels?

They are widely available in supermarkets (and seafood shops of course), in a mesh bag. You want to keep them fresh and alive before you cook them up, so if you put the mesh bag in a plastic bag, make sure you leave the top of the bag open. Make sure you toss any that have broken or open shells before you cook them.

Can I substitute anything for the white wine?

Yep! You can use an equal amount of clam juice (look for it where you buy canned tuna fish).

Should I take the mussels out of their shells before I serve them?

You can, if you are feeling especially generous - otherwise just let your lucky diners take them out of the shells as they eat (and put a big bowl in the middle of the table for the empties.

What to do with the mussel shells?

SUCH a good question! You want to put them in some kind of a sealable bag (we hang onto disposable shopping bags for just this reason) and tie up the bag to close it, and then if you can, put them in your outside trash can. So things don't get, you know, aromatic. 😳😳

Have a question that I didn't cover?

Pop it in the comments section and I will answer pronto!

Mussels in Blue Cheese Sauce

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This easy recipe for mussels in blue cheese sauce is packed with all kinds of flavor, and ready in a snap! The perfect seafood supper.

Author: Kate Morgan Jackson
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 1x
Category: Dinner
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

1 two-pound bag mussels
2 tablespoons butter
2 large carrots, chopped
1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
1 cup white wine
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
8 ounces rice or thin spaghetti (or whatever pasta you like), cooked and drained

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Instructions

Rinse mussels, discarding any with open or broken shells and pulling off any of the beards (strings coming out of the mussels).
Melt butter in large skillet and sauté carrots and onions for 5 minutes over medium high heat.
Add mussels and white wine and cover until mussels are open, about 5 minutes.
Remove mussels with slotted spoon into bowl and set aside.
Add blue cheese to pan and stir until melted.
Divide pasta among plates (use plates with a bit of a lip to them so that you don’t have spillage issues!)
Top pasta or rice with mussels, and then pour sauce over all. It is going to look like a LOT, but trust me, it’s the right amount. Those shells take up a lot of room. Make sure you have a bowl on the table so that folks can toss the empty shells into it as they go.

Notes

Mussels: You can find them at your supermarket seafood counter in 2 pound bags. I estimate a half pound per person because this includes the weight of the shells.

Wine: Any kind you have around will work! We usually go for a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc if it’s handy.

Blue Cheese: Again, any kind will work. We like a mild blue cheese, and we always recommend going for the chunk instead of the pre-crumbled kind as crumbles can be dry. If you have extra blue cheese, use it in this recipe for Blue Cheese Pasta!

Rice or Pasta: You can use either of these as a bed for your mussels…or you can serve them as is with some bread to sop up the glorious sauce!

Find it online: https://www.framedcooks.com/mussels-in-blue-cheese-sauce/