Steamed Mussels with Cream Sauce and Leeks

Sharing is caring!

Steamed Mussels with Cream Sauce and Leeks is an elegant dish, perfect for any special occasion!

 

This post is sponsored by Hood® Cream. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the organizations and brands that make A Dish of Daily Life possible!

With Father’s Day right around the corner, I wanted to create a special dish…something a bit out of the ordinary for me…while at the same time keeping it relatively easy.

These days I have to keep things easy just in order to stay sane. If you’ve been following along my blog, you know that I’m spending most of my waking hours these days at a local gym that we opened with two other couples last summer. Between the two of us, my husband and I are running three businesses. He’s also on our local Town Council, and helps coach track at the high school.

This Father’s Day we will just be getting home the night before from North Carolina for Nationals for track, where our son will be running the Steeplechase! So whatever I’m making for Father’s Day needs to be easy!

My inspiration for this steamed mussels with cream sauce and leeks dish came from a meal that I enjoyed at the Cafe Royal on our recent trip to Scotland…stay tuned for my post on restaurants to try in Edinburgh!  For whatever reason, I’ve never added cream to my steamed mussels before.  But the Arbroath Smokie, whiskey, cream and leeks mussels that I enjoyed that day at lunch inspired to try it! My dish is not a knockoff, although I did use cream and leeks. I thought about using bacon as well…I have a feeling that it would be a nice addition. Next time!

You’ve probably noticed that I cook with cream quite a bit on my blog. Full fat dairy has gotten a bad rap for years. But we need fat in our diets, and cream is a healthy fat. While full fat cream might be higher in calories, it also fills us up quicker, which means we’re less likely to overeat. People who eat full fat dairy tend to be less likely to suffer from obesity than those who eat low fat dairy only. If you’re wondering how that could be, consider this. Low fat dairy products tend to have added sugar and other additives, replacing the fat to make them taste better.

I always use Hood® Cream products. Did you know that Hood is one of the largest branded dairy operators in the United States and the number one dairy brand in New England? That number one status is earned…their quality is top notch! Both chefs and home cooks trust Hood…myself included.  I’m in that home cook demographic…no professional training here. But I know what works for me with my recipes.  I’ve been cooking with Hood for as long as I can remember.  I have tried other creams over the year, but nothing quite compares in my opinion. Hood Cream really elevates my dishes, taking them to the next level!

STEAMED MUSSELS WITH CREAM SAUCE AND LEEKS

If you’ve never made mussels before, you’ll be surprised at how easy they are to make! These steamed mussels with cream sauce and leeks are so simple, yet elegant at the same time!

Start by cleaning your mussels. Place them in the sink under running water and scrub with a brush to remove dirt and barnacles. Pull off the hairy “beard” if it has one sticking out of the shell by pulling towards the hinged end of the shell (rather than the front). Discard any mussels that have already opened. If they’ve opened, they’ve died…you do not want to eat them!  After they’re cleaned, keep them on ice until you are ready to start cooking. The cleaning process is what takes the longest…after this, you’ll find this dish comes together very quickly!

Melt the butter in a large pot, then stir in the leeks and garlic and cook until softened.

Add the mussels, clam juice and thyme, cover the pot and steam the mussels for 6-10 minutes until they open.

Remove the pot from heat. Temper the Hood Heavy Cream with several tablespoons of the warm clam broth before adding it to the pot of mussels, along with the parsley. Stir to combine.

Serve with crusty bread to mop up that delicious broth!

For more cream-inspired recipes, visit Hood.com.

OTHER GREAT FATHER’S DAY RECIPE IDEAS

• Crab Imperial
• Mini Beef Wellingtons with Horseradish Cream

Now let’s start cooking!