Name: Mussels Steamed in Beer, with Leeks, Bacon, and a Touch of Cream
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus additional for garnish; ½-inch-thick slices French bread, grilled or toasted, rubbed with olive oil and garlic; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves; White and pale green parts of 1 medium leek, thinly sliced (about ½ cup); 3 tablespoons whole grain Pommery mustard; ¾ cup fish or chicken broth; Generous pinch red pepper flakes; ¼ cup heavy cream; Coarse sea salt; 2 pounds farmed mussels, scrubbed and debearded; 1 tablespoon olive oil, or more, as needed; 1 cup IPA or lager beer; 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic; 2 very thick slices smoky bacon, cut crosswise into ¼−½-inch lardons; Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation info

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Cast-Iron Cooking for Two

By Joanna Pruess

Published 2019

About

If you and a friend adore mussels, this is an abundantly delicious way to indulge. In fewer than 20 minutes, you can dive into this generous pot of succulent mussels cooked with bacon and beer and slurp away. What a combination.

The rule of thumb for portion size is one pound of mussels per person. However, if you have smaller appetites or want to serve them as a first course or for lunch, this recipe can be divided in half, or will comfortably feed three. Garlicky toasted French br