Portugal’s Famous Garlic, Cilantro and Wine Mussels • Mussels à

Mussels à Bulhão Pato is a very traditional and simple way to cook mussels in Portugal, well who doesn’t love a good plate of mussels swimming in a fragrant simple sauce, just begging to be mopped up with a nice piece of rustic bread? There is a reason some dishes are called classics, its the combination of sweet creamy mussels with a bright and delicious sauce… it always hits the spot hehehe

And it doesn’t stop there. You can also toss some pasta in that sauce and have a full meal, its also perfect for small parties just to start off, you can eat a pile or just a couple, easy to make, perfect for any occasion.

Now, its important to note, that with all shellfish your first concern is the quality and freshness of the shellfish. Everything else is easy, but if the mussels are not good, nothing will save the dish, so take your time when you buy them, and if you cant find good quality, make it another day!

When I made this I took a little shortcut, since my mussels came already cleaned and cooked, so I made the whole sauce first and added the mussels at the end, just to warm up and pick up flavour. It works, but I still think the traditional way with raw mussels is better and thats the recipe here, the result is the same or maybe even better, and the recipe ends up being more practical. Enjoy it, and let’s get to cooking!

Portugal’s Famous Garlic, Cilantro and Wine Mussels • Mussels à Bulhão Pato

Servings: 2
Time: 30mins
Difficulty: Easy
Rating: ★★★★★
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Traditional Portuguese recipe, its oh so simple and delicious, perfect for a light creamy and delicious appetizer!

Ingredients

Mussels – 1 Kg (Fresh)
Garlic – 6 Cloves
White Wine – 200 ml
Lemon – 1 (Optional)
Cilantro – 1 Bunch
Olive Oil – A Drizzle
Salt – A Pinch
Bread – To Taste (Optional)

Directions

When buying mussels or any shellfish, it is important that they are closed and undamaged, an open shell means the shellfish has died and is therefore unfit for consumption, do not buy raw shellfish that is already open.
Next, place the mussels in a large bowl or even the kitchen sink, cover them with cold water, trying not to pile them too deeply on top of one another and let them soak for about 30 minutes, this allows the mussels to naturally release any sand or impurities trapped inside their shells.
After that, use a stiff brush or even a toothbrush (kept just for this purpose, hehehe) to scrub the shells thoroughly, then use your hands or a knife to remove the “beards” from each mussel (these are the characteristic filaments that protrude from the shell).
Finally, rinse them all well again in cold water, transfer them to a cloth or colander to drain, and they are ready to be cooked.
In a pot or wok, add the minced garlic and a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat, sauté the garlic until it turns a nice golden color.
Lower the heat and add the mussels followed by the wine, season with a pinch of salt, cover, and let cook for about 5 minutes or until all the mussels have opened.

To finish, chop a small bunch of cilantro and sprinkle it over the top, serve with lemon wedges for squeezing and slices of toasted rustic bread. Bon appétit!

Notes & Tips: Of course, if you use mussels that are already cooked, they have already been washed and are ready to use. There is nothing wrong with that, especially if you don’t have time to prepare the mussels properly.

Some recipes swap the olive oil for margarine or the cilantro for parsley, and that’s fine too, it is probably tasty, but it is not the traditional recipe 😀 Ahhh, and some recipes finish with chopped cilantro and lemon juice, but I find it more interesting to let everyone add lemon juice to taste. It is a great idea because the broth is a little sweet, but too much lemon and you ruin everything, so it is better that each person adds their own…

And of course you can swap the mussels for clams or even shrimp, the recipe works well with just about any seafood 🙂

Freshness first. Buy from a fishmonger you trust, and the mussels should smell like the clean sea, never “fishy” or sour. Cook them the same day if you can.

Give any slightly open mussel a tap on the counter before cooking. If it closes, it is alive and good to go. If it stays open, throw it away.

After cooking, discard any mussel that did not open. Don’t force it open.

Do the cleaning right before cooking and don’t store cleaned mussels in a sealed container or submerged in fresh water, they need to breathe.

Frozen mussels are a perfectly fine option if fresh ones are hard to find, just check whether they are frozen raw or frozen already cooked, because that changes the cooking time. Cooked ones only need to heat through like i said above, its also a great option if you don’t live near the sea.

Don’t overcook. Mussels need very little time, and once they open they are done. Too long in the pot and they get rubbery.

Use a dry white wine you would be happy to drink. A Portuguese Vinho Verde is a great choice too.

Don’t let the garlic burn. Golden is perfect, brown is bitter, and bitter garlic will ruin the whole sauce.

Use a pot big enough that the mussels aren’t piled too high, and give it a gentle shake halfway through so they cook evenly.

Don’t throw away that sauce! It is the best part, so serve the mussels with plenty of toasted bread, or toss it with spaghetti or linguine for a complete meal.

Ohhh and skip canned mussels for this recipe. They are already cooked and seasoned, and you would be putting seasoning on top of seasoning.

Serve with a cold glass of the same white wine you used to cook, and set out an extra bowl for the empty shells.

This recipe for Portugal’s Famous Garlic, Cilantro and Wine Mussels • Mussels à Bulhão Pato was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Mexilhões à Bulhão Pato foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.