Summer Grilled Mussels

Summer is officially here and that means grills everywhere are about to do double duty. And with Memorial Day, which is the official kick-off of summer, just a few days away, ideas for what to cook is on everyone's mind. The thought that grilling has to relegate the cook to only hamburgers and hot dogs is such a thing of the past. If you have a favorite recipe, chances are you can make it on the grill. From simple burgers to pizza and yes, even dessert, if you've got a grill, you have the perfect recipe for a gourmet meal.

This recipe for Grilled Mussels is a tradition around our house. Very easy to make, with a few simple ingredients, your family and friends are going to be quite impressed when you serve up this tasty fare. I have tried both frozen and fresh mussels and the results are equally impressive.

Serve up the burgers for the kids, but for grown folk, mussels on the grill and a chilled glass of wine is a winner every time.

ingredients

• 2 lbs. fresh or frozen mussels
• Scant covering of water in bottom of steamer
• 3 tbsp. melted butter
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Fresh herbs, c/o parsley, basil, oregano and thyme — chopped finely
• 6 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• 6 tbsp. fresh parmesan cheese, grated

instructions
Clean the mussels by scrubbing under slow running water, making sure to scrub off loose barnacles and remove the beard with a small knife. The beard is that stringy stuff that protrudes from the back side of the shells. Using the knife, grasp firmly and remove from the shell. Check the mussels that are open to make sure they are fresh by rapping with the knife. If the mussels close they are okay. Discard any that do not close or that might be damaged or broken.

Add a scant amount of water to the bottom of the steam pot, insert strainer and add mussels to this. Cover with lid. Turn on flame to medium high and steam mussels until all are open about 5-8 minutes. Remove strainer from pot and place on a pan to catch any remaining liquid. Remove tops from mussels and place on a large baking dish with mussels facing up.

In a small food processor or bowl add herbs, parmesan cheese, garlic, butter, olive oil, salt and pepper and blend thoroughly.
Using a small teaspoon, spoon a small amount of mixture on top of mussels, distributing evenly until done. Drizzle over top with a little olive oil.

Transfer dish to the grill that has been heated to medium and barbeque with top of barbeque closed for about 2-3 minutes until sizzling. Serve immediately with wedges of fresh lemon, crusty French bread and a nice glass of white wine.

Because life should be good! How good is that.....

Copyright Bonnie McDaniel, Farm Girl In The City™ 2017 All rights reserved

I'm Bonnie McDaniel of Farm Girl In the City™ a contributor for Patch, writing about gardening, cooking, flowers, good living, urban gardening and more!
Connect with me on social media on Twitter and Instagram for your daily dose of food and garden inspiration. You can also find me on Facebook, and check out my blog here. Stay tuned for the release of my new cookbook, the first of the Farm Girl In The City cookbook series, due out later this year! And coming soon, my online Farm Girl Market with all kinds of goodies for homesteaders and foodies.