I used sour-mash ale simply because I had on hand. You could use white wine or any beer and a little lemon juice. I added kale to make this a complete meal but feel free to leave it out if you are serving these mussels as a starter or with a salad on the side.
Ingredients
2 lbs. Mussels, cleaned and debearded
1 Shallot, sliced
4 cloves Garlic, sliced, plus a couple additional cloves for bread
Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
½ bunch Kale (optional), center stalk removed and chopped
1 bottle Sour-Mash Ale (or white wine and lemon juice or a different type of beer)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Baguette, sliced and toasted
Instructions
Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add shallot, saute briefly. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, allow to become golden but do not burn.
Add kale, if desired,season with salt, and allow to wilt slightly. Add beer and bring to boil.
Gently (you don't want to break any shells) add mussels to pot, cover, and allow to steam until shells open, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, rub toasted baguette with raw garlic and drizzle with oil.
Serve mussels in warm bowls or straight from the pot with plenty of the toasted bread to soak up the steaming liquid.
Recipe by strawberryplum at http://www.strawberryplum.com/ale-steamed-mussels-with-garlic-kale/