Steamed Mussels

Philadelphia has some great restaurants, but some of the best places are tiny, seemingly hole-in-the-wall joints. Monk's Cafe serves amazing Belgian beer, mussels, sandwiches, etc. And while I was living in the Art Museum neighborhood of Philly, a sister restaurant opened up half a block from my apartment, called Belgian Cafe. Belgian and Monk's are the best for unique beers, mussels, and a casual atmosphere. Both of these places have provided us with tons of inspiration for cooking mussels!

Jim and I were looking for a simple weeknight dinner to watch during the Olympics so we decided on mussels. I stopped by Whole Foods on the way home from work and picked up a bag of fresh Maine mussels, asparagus, and crusty bread. This time around, we tried a new version of mussels, and they turned out to be delicious as usual.

Ingredients:

1 bag of mussels (small-sized mussels are the best)

3 strips turkey bacon

1 bottle of beer (preferably something Belgian)

3 cloves of minced garlic

1/2 onion, diced

handful of blue cheese

Directions:

Cook bacon and set aside. Clean and de-beard mussels if necessary. In a large pot, pour in beer and bring to a boil. Set steamer in bottom of pot. Add in garlic, onion, and mussels. Cover pot and steam until mussels open, about 5 minutes. Discard any that do not open. Poor mussels, onion, garlic, and liquid from pot into a serving bowl. Top with crumbled, crispy bacon and blue cheese.