Perfect Steamed Mussels

Rinse 3 to 4 pounds mussels in a strainer and check them over. All the mussels should be tightly closed. Discard any mussels with cracked shells. If the shell is open, tap the mussel lightly against the counter; if the shell doesn't close in a few minutes, discard the mussel.

Many commercial mussels will already be debearded, but it's good to check them anyway. Look for a group of short brown strings coming out the mussel on one side where the two halves of the shell close — this is the "beard." Grip these strings with your fingers or a pair of tweezers and tug gently from side to side. As you tug, the strings will pull out and detach from the shell. It's ok if you don't remove all of the beard or if you miss the beard on a few mussels; it's not harmful to eat, just tough and not very pleasant.

Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter over medium-high heat in the saucepan (if using butter, let it melt completely). Add the 2 minced shallots and 3 minced garlic cloves. Sauté until the shallots are translucent and the garlic is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

Pour all of the mussels into the pot.

Pour 1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth and 1/2 cup white wine, amber beer, hard cider, or more broth over the mussels.

Immediately cover the pan with the lid. Cook with the lid on for 5 minutes. Shake the pan once or twice during cooking, with the lid still on, to distribute the mussels.

After 5 minutes, remove the lid and check the mussels. Nearly all the mussels should be open by now. If not, cover and cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes. Discard any mussels that haven't opened after this time.

Serve the mussels straight from the pan or pour the mussels and the broth into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and squeeze with lemon. Serve with crusty bread for mopping up the broth.