Minimalist Mussels
YKGrub · Jul 2026 · Serves 2–3 · 20 min · No alcohol, no garlic
Ingredients
- 2 lb fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 2 tbsp butter or olive oil
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- Pinch of turmeric — optional, for colour and warmth, not curry
- 1 cup fish or vegetable stock
- Juice of ½ lemon, salt
- Sourdough, toasted
Method
1. Shallot
Butter or oil over medium, soften the shallot 2–3 min. Turmeric in, then the stock, brought to a simmer.
2. Steam
Mussels in, covered, 5–7 min until they open. Discard any that stay shut.
3. Finish
Lemon, taste for salt, serve with the broth and the toast.
Five ingredients past the mussels. No garlic, no chopped herbs, no wine — the earlier version had all three and this one is better.
Notes
- The turmeric is skippable; without it the broth is just paler
- Baby portion: not this one — shellfish and a hot broth are both wrong at ten months. Give her bread and something from the salad