Carrabba's Mussels in White Wine Sauce
A copycat of Carrabba's mussels — fresh mussels steamed with onion, garlic and basil, finished with Pernod and lemon, and served with a clarified-butter white wine sauce.
⏱️ Prep: 20 min🍳 Cook: 10 min
Nutritionper 100 g›
110
Calories
8g
Protein
4g
Carbs
7g
Fat
Ingredients
| 4 cups (about 900 g) | mussels |
| 2 tbsp (30 ml) | olive oil |
| 2 tbsp | yellow onion |
| 2 tbsp | garlic |
| 2 tbsp (30 ml) | Pernod (licorice-flavored liqueur) |
| 2 tbsp | fresh basil |
| 2 tbsp (30 ml) | lemon juice |
| 2 tbsp/as needed | clarified butter (for sauce) |
| 2 tbsp | garlic (for sauce) |
| 2 tbsp | onion (for sauce) |
| 6 tbsp (90 ml) | lemon juice (for sauce) |
| 2 tbsp (30 ml) | dry white wine |
Instructions
- Prepare the step 1 ingredients: chop the onion, garlic and basil.
- Also chop and measure the garlic and onion for the butter sauce (step 2).
- Fill a container with cold water and soak the mussels for several minutes. Use a stiff brush to remove the fibers/beard from the shells, then rinse thoroughly with cool water.
- Warm the olive oil in a 10-inch (25 cm) skillet over medium heat.
- Cover with a lid and cook the mussels about 2 minutes, until they start to open. Remove the lid and toss in the garlic and onion, stirring well.
- Cover and simmer 1 more minute. Move the pan to a cool burner and mix in the Pernod, lemon juice, basil and the butter sauce.
- Return to the burner and cook about 30–45 seconds with the lid on.
- Discard any unopened mussels and serve the rest in a deep dish.
- To serve, drizzle with lemon and simmer 2–3 minutes, then remove from the heat and swirl in cold butter until the sauce is creamy.
- Toss the mussels with the butter sauce.
- Clarified butter: melt ½ stick (55 g) of butter over low heat. Let it sit a few minutes until the milk solids settle, then skim the clarified butter off the top and discard the rest (can be done in advance and chilled).
- For the butter sauce, warm the clarified butter with the garlic and onions and sauté until transparent, then add the lemon juice, wine and salt and pepper to taste.