Spaghetti with Mussels

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make spaghetti with mussels? Gather the ingredients. It's best to use durum-wheat spaghetti—it holds up without going mushy and is tastier and better for you. Any fat level of cream works for the sauce; just remember it affects the calorie count. I used light (10%) cream. Use whatever seasonings you like—garlic pairs especially well with mussels.

2. Step 2:

   

   Thaw the frozen mussels ahead of time by moving them from the freezer to the refrigerator—this lets them thaw as gently as possible. Then rinse the mussels in cold water and let them drain in a colander.

3. Step 3:

   

   Peel, rinse, and dice the onion into small cubes.

4. Step 4:

   

   Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add the chopped onion. Sauté over medium heat, stirring often, until golden.

5. Step 5:

   

   Add the mussels to the onion and stir. Sauté everything together for 2 minutes, until the excess liquid cooks off.

6. Step 6:

   

   Pour in the cream and season with salt.

7. Step 7:

   

   Stir in the Herbes de Provence. Let the sauce come to a simmer and cook gently for no more than 2 minutes, then take the skillet off the heat. Cook seafood over medium heat and don't overdo the time, so the shellfish stay soft, tender, and full of flavor.

8. Step 8:

   

   Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti. Lower it into boiling salted water without breaking it, and stir. Let the water return to a boil. Cook over medium heat, stirring, for 5 minutes until al dente—still slightly firm to the bite.

9. Step 9:

   

   Drain the spaghetti in a colander.

10. Step 10:

    

    Add the spaghetti to the skillet with the mussel sauce and toss. Warm it through briefly.

11. Step 11:

    

    Wash, dry, and finely chop the parsley. Scatter it over the spaghetti and mussels just before serving. Serve right away. Enjoy!