Leftover Champagne Mussels Recipes

Steps:

• Rinse and pull the beards off of the mussels. Throw away any that are open. Cut up all vegetables as tiny as your hangover allows. (Note that vegetables larger than the mussels will not be cooked through when the mussels are done.) Put the vegetables and salt & pepper in a large pot with the wine. Bring to a simmer. Add mussels and cover, stirring a couple of times while simmering. When the mussels are open, serve them with plenty of the liquid in large bowls over pasta or with large chunks of crusty artisan bread and butter on the side. (Don't eat the ones that don't open.) And make sure to have some more wine on hand, just in case.

Steps:

• To clean the mussels, put them in a large bowl with 2 quarts of water and the flour and soak for 30 minutes, or until the mussels disgorge any sand. Drain the mussels, then remove the "beard" from each with your fingers. If they're dirty, scrub the mussels with a brush under running water. Discard any mussels whose shells aren't tightly shut.
• In a large non-aluminum stockpot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 5 minutes; then add the garlic and cook for 3 more minutes, or until the shallots are translucent. Add the tomatoes, saffron, parsley, thyme, wine, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
• Add the mussels, stir well, then cover the pot, and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until all the mussels are opened (discard any that do not open). With the lid on, shake the pot once or twice to be sure the mussels don't burn on the bottom. Pour the mussels and the sauce into a large bowl and serve hot.