Mussels in White Beer

Mussels in white beer offer a pleasant variation to the classic way of cooking mussels, and the use of beer adds a note of original flavor that can pleasantly surprise the palate. Here I present an Italian version of this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 kg of fresh mussels
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Fresh parsley to taste
• 300 ml of white beer (Pilsner or light Lager)
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• (Optional) Chili pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Carefully clean the mussels by removing the byssus threads and scraping off any encrustations from the shells. Rinse them under cold running water and discard any that are already open that do not close when touched.
2. In a wide pan, lightly fry the finely chopped garlic cloves in extra virgin olive oil. If you like it spicy, you can add a chopped chili pepper at this stage.
3. Add the mussels to the pan and cover with the white beer, then increase the heat to bring to a boil.
4. Allow the mussels to fully open by cooking with the steam of the beer, usually taking about 5-7 minutes.
5. Once the mussels are all open, reduce the heat and let the liquid simmer until it has slightly reduced, for about 5 minutes.
6. In the meantime, finely chop the fresh parsley.
7. Add the chopped parsley to the mussels, mix well and cook for another 2 minutes.
8. Finally, taste and adjust with black pepper according to your taste.

Serve the mussels hot directly from the pan accompanied by croutons or bruschetta to soak up the delicious sauce that has formed. And for an all-Italian pairing, you might choose a fresh and fragrant wine like a Ligurian Vermentino, which pairs perfectly with the seafood flavor of the mussels.

Curiosity

Mussels are often used in multiple regional variations in Italy. In some areas, they are preferred to be cooked very simply with just garlic, oil, and parsley to enhance the sea flavor; in others, they aim to enrich them with more elaborate sauces or additions like beer in this case. The choice of beer plays a fundamental role: a beer that is too bitter or flavored could overpower the delicate flavor of the mussels.