Tapas style Steamed mussels

Mussels are something that I overdose whenever in Spain or Italy, I just love them! I usually eat them in the traditional form of a soup, so I wanted to try something new today and create an eye-catching tapas dish. These Mediterranean tapas mussels are the perfect weekend getaway for a relaxing modern evening. They taste delicious with the slices of garlic and chili while the lovely green leaves add a degree of freshness. The plate looks quite spectacular without being pretentious and too fancy & has a gorgeous mixture of colours and a true feeling of seaside. This makes a great light lunch with a glass of chilled white wine or rosé especially if you are sitting by the sea in the summer! This dish also works as an amuse bouche at a cocktail party or just a cozy evening at home with your family and friends. The recipe is quick and easy, no fuss while it is all about the presentation.

How to make the steamed mussels?

In a heavy saucepan, melt some butter and add the onion and garlic and stir around for a couple of minutes until softened. Add some white wine & a bit of water and bring to boil. Add the mussels and cover the lid and cook over high heat until the mussels open, for about 8 minutes. Stir around once in a while. Discard any mussels that do not open. Ready to plate.

Open the mussels properly and arrange them beautifully on a plate. Add some baby arugula leaves on top, finely chopped chili that is mildly spicy and lots of fresh parsley. I made sure there was just a little bit of the broth on each mussel and bits of garlic and onion. Enjoy with rustic bread that is grilled in a bit of olive oil.