Local food writer’s new book and recipe for mussels

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — Local author Steve Hoffman has published a new memoir about his Minnesota family’s immersion into a tiny winemaking village in the Languedoc region of southern France. The title of the book is “A Season for That: Lost and Found in the Other Southern France.”

Steve and his wife Mary Jo (a former aerospace engineer turned artist photographer) both published their first books in 2024. Mary Jo’s book “STILL: The Art of Noticing” is a photo-a-day project.

Steve prepared a very simple Mediterranean-inflected version of Mussels in White Wine Sauce that was a family “fast food” staple during their time in southern France.

Ingredients:

•     1 kilo (2-2 ½ lbs) of mussels
•     2 or 3 large shallots diced (or 1 diced yellow onion)
•     3-4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
•     1 bouquet garni (A small bundle of parsley, a small bundle of fresh thyme, and 1 bay leaf, tied together with kitchen string. If no kitchen string, just throw them all in the pot!)
•     1 small glass of white wine (1/2 cup to 3/4 cup)
•     (Optional) 1 generous pinch of Piment d’Espelette
•     1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

Instructions:

1. If any mussels are open, knock them with a knuckle or a fingernail. If they don’t close, discard them.
2. Soak the mussels in a large bowl of salty water for 15 minutes. Discard any cracked or broken shells or any mussels that float.
3. Drain mussels and put them into a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
4. Add all other ingredients to the pot.
5. Cover and place on high heat, shaking or tossing the pot every minute or so.
6. After 5 minutes check to see if all mussels are opened. The liquid will be boiling vigorously.
7. If some mussels remain closed, cover again and check every two minutes or so, until all mussels have opened.
8. Distribute mussels into bowls and pour the cooking liquid over them. Sprinkle each bowl with a pinch of chopped parsley.