This recipe comes to us from our friend Carlin St. John of Get Together PDX. Specializing in recipe development and catered events, Get Together PDX provides fantastic food and thoughtful details to create special gatherings and dining experiences. Follow @gettogetherpdx and contact Carlin with inquiries at gettogetherpdx@gmail.com.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• ½ a yellow onion (or 2 shallots), thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• Freshly ground black pepper & kosher salt
• ¼ cup New Deal Cascadia Liqueur
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 TBSP butter
• 3 TBS fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• Toasted baguette for serving

Method

1. Prep the mussels: discard any mussels that are already open (they should be tightly closed prior to cooking). Rinse the mussels under cold water then remove the beards (the scruffy strings protruding from one side of the mussel) using your hands or a small paring knife. Scrub the mussels and soak in a bowl of cold water until ready to cook.
2. Heat 1 TBSP olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and add sliced onion and garlic. Season with a small pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook until the onion becomes translucent and the mixture is very fragrant, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the Cascadia Liqueur and white wine to the pot and cook, stirring, until some of the alcohol has burned off, about 3 minutes.
4. Drain the mussels and add them to the pot, cover, and give the pot a good shake. Allow the mussels to steam, covered, for 7-10 minutes or until all of the mussels have opened (if any do not open, toss them out as they are dead).
5. Stir in the butter and chopped parsley. Transfer mussels and broth to a shallow bowl and serve immediately with toasted baguette.