6 Minute Meal & Deal: Heritage's Beer Steamed Mussels

The Meal: Vintage Syndicate (Vintage, Time & Heritage restaurants) Executive Chef Mackenzie Hilton's beer steamed mussels with bacon and leeks. This dish is on the menu at Heritage in Northern Liberties.

Beer Steamed Mussels with Bacon and Leeks

(serves 2)

2 lbs mussels

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 shallot minced

2 Tablespoons chopped bacon, raw

Chef Tip: You can add more or less bacon, depending on your taste

1 Leek, chopped and cooked in butter until soft

Chef Tip: Pre-cooking the leeks is an optional step that will save you time on the back end. That way they're already sweated down, are nice and sweet and you're just bringing them back up to heat

1 Tablespoon chopped chives

1 Tablespoon finely chopped parsley

8 oz white beer (Allagash white)

Chef Tip: Any white beer will do. You want to avoid a hoppy beer, as that will add unwanted bitterness to the dish

4 oz vegetable stock (can also use chicken stock)

Chef Tip: If you don't have stock, you can substitute bullion or just add a little water. You're just look-ing to give the mussels a little bit more steam time

lemon

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional if you like the additional heat)

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, on medium heat, put in your vegetable oil and then add bacon

Chef Tip: You want the heat hot enough to crisp the bacon, but not so hot it burns. The browning is important, as it will extract the flavor from the fat

Add garlic, shallot, & leeks.

Cook until bacon starts to crisp a little, stirring constantly.

Turn burner to high heat and add in 2# of mussels, chives, parsley, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, lemon (squeeze into pot and then throw the half into the pot), salt and pepper.

Stir to combine.

Pour in the beer and vegetable stock.

Add in the butter.

Cover and cook for approximately 3-5 minutes, until all the shells are open and the meat inside each mussel has shrunk just a little.

Chef Tip: Throw away any mussels that do not open.

Re-taste for salt and pepper and add more if necessary.

Pour entire contents into a big bowl and serve with bread for dunking

The Deal: Dine at Heritage restaurant by Tuesday, April 2nd and you'll get a free dessert with your entree purchase if you tell your server you saw this feature on 6abc.

Heritage Restaurant

914 N. 2nd Street

Philadelphia, PA 19123

215.627.7500

https://heritage.life/

https://www.facebook.com/HeritagePhilly/