Mussels, Porcini, and Potatoes

A few years ago, I was eating mussels on the Pacific coast. I had just been in Colorado hunting boletes, and I thought, wow, porcini would be so good with mussels. Mollusks and mushrooms epitomize the ecosystem of the Pacific Northwest. There is a depth of flavor with a mussel, a saltiness that complements the sweet earthiness of the porcini. It’s a taste of forest and ocean combined. Since then, I’ve made this dish with morels, and it works just as well. I like to eat the mussels straight