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1
Add oil to a saucepan big enough to hold all the mussels; turn heat to medium.
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2
A minute later, add in the onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften, 5 minutes.
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3
Add in the tomato, and increase heat a bit; cook for 5 minutes more, until the tomato begins to break up.
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4
Add the mussels; increase heat to high, and cover the pot.
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5
Cook, shaking the pot occasionally, until they all open, about 10 minutes; turn the heat off.
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6
Scoop the mussels into a serving bowl; strain the accumulated liquid through a fine strainerpreferably one lined with cheeseclothand pour it over the mussels.
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7
Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
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8
*Steamed Mussels, French Stylesubstitute butter for the oil and use 2 or 3 chopped shallots in place of the onion; the garlic is optional; omit the tomato and lemon; proceed as directed, adding 1/2 cup white wine to the pot just before adding the mussels; if you like, you can finish the sauce with 1/2 cup heavy cream.
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9
*Steamed Mussels, East Asian Stylesubstitute peanut or canola oil for the olive oil and 1/4 cup chopped scallion for the onions; add 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger along with the garlic and proceed as directed, omitting the tomato and lemon; add 1 tablespoon soy sauce to the liquid after cooking and serve with lime wedges.
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10
*Steamed Mussels, Thai Styleomit the oil, onion, tomato, lemon, and parsley; combine the mussels in a pot with the garlic, 2 lemongrass stalks, bruised with the back of a knife and roughly chopped, 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh Thai basil leaves, 1 small fresh or dried chile, the juice of 1 lime, and 1 tablespoon nam pla; steam as in step 2, then strain as in step 3; garnish mussels with more Thai basil and a squeeze of fresh lime.
