Muscles!!!

I love muscles.  No, not body-builder muscles, the sea food! (Body builders have too many muscles.)  They are the reason I am no longer a vegan (I lasted about two months), and they have been consuming my thoughts for weeks now.

I remember the first time I ever had them.  I was in a small cafe in Paris.  My father ordered them and let me try one.  I was about twenty.  It was amazing.  It was moist and a little chewy and it melted in my mouth.  The muscles were cooked in a white wine sauce.  Ever since then, I like to have muscles every chance I get.  As my hubby knows very well if there are muscles or goat cheese on the menu I will order it. 

I finally got a night when I knew I was only cooking for one, me, so I made some muscles.  This is the first time I ever made them and they were amazing.

Another great perk about making muscles is that I have an open bottle of wine that needs to be finished at the end of this recipe (nice perk).

Muscles in White Wine Sauce*

Bottle of white wine
2 tablespoons butter
Two green onions,diced
Two cloves garlic, minced
One plum tomato, diced
One lb muscles, washed, debearded,
Mustard powder
Large piece of crusty bread (to sop-up all the juices)

Wash and de-beard your muscles.  Do this first, I didn't and it messed up the whole process, learn from my mistakes.  Wash the outside of the muscles with a vegetable scrubby brush.  Then grab the beard (you will see it and know) and pull hard.  This will make sense when you see them. 

Put all clean unopened muscles (if they open or are open throw them away) in some water with a teaspoon or so of the mustard powder.  This is a great trick I learned to make them "spit" the dirt out.  Although I do feel a bit bad for the poor tortured muscles (but not enough to NOT eat them, gees).  It really works, I only had one sandy muscle. 

In a separate pot, (I used a big belly pot) melt butter in a hot pan and add onion and garlic.  Cook until soft, about two minutes.  Add tomatoes and cook another minute or two.  Add muscles and wine.  Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 4-6 minutes or until muscles open.

Poor muscles and broth into a large bowl and serve with bread on the side.  Pour a glass of wine and enjoy your dinner for one (it could actually serve two if you don't have a giant appetite like me, or you do have more muscles).  Use the bread to get some of that great broth.  It has all the flavors of the muscles and garlic.  I go so far as to drink the broth with a spoon, I love it. 

I just loved this meal.  Don't fear the muscles they are amazing.  My husband said they "freaked" him out (his word not mine).  That is crazy to me they are so good, who cares if they look weird?

Do you like muscles?  Do shell fish scare you?  What do you think?


*I'm not a chief I just like to eat.  Hope this recipe works for you too.