“When the tide is out, the table is set.” Live by these words and harvest blue mussels down on the tide line this spring. A big pot full of these sweet shellfish in a creamy, cider-y sauce with bacon, garlic, fresh sorrel, thyme and parsley makes the perfect seaside meal. Enjoy with a loaf of crusty bread and good company.

*Warning: Though we love heading out with a bucket and boots to harvest own mussels at low tide, we don’t mess around with red tide, also known as PSP, which can be deadly if ingested. If you’re unsure about the safety of your locally harvested seafood, buy shellfish from a local grower who tests for the toxins so you can enjoy your mussels without fear during this time of year.

Mussels with Spring Onions, Sorrel, Cider, and Cream

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Instructions

 

• Rinse, scrub, and debeard the mussels under cold water. If any are slightly open, tap them. If they close, they are still alive and ready to cook; if they remain open, they are dead—discard them.
• In a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon, stirring often, until it turns brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels, leaving the bacon grease in the pot.
• Add the spring onions, sorrel, garlic, thyme, and salt to the pot and stir for 1 minute. Add the cider, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the cider is reduced by ½ about 10–15 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the mussels, cover the pot, and cook until all the mussels open, 5–8 minutes. Stir in the cream and sprinkle in the reserved bacon and the parsley. Serve with crusty bread on the side.

Notes

About this recipe
Recipe by Emma Teal Laukitis and Claire Neaton. Excerpted from The Salmon Sisters · Harvest & Heritage: Seasonal Recipes and Traditions that Celebrate the Alaskan Spirit by permission of Sasquatch Books and the authors. ©2023.

This recipe was reprinted along with an original topnote in Edible Alaska Issue No. 35, Spring 2025.