If you’ve read this column before, you know that the chef at my restaurant, Comtesse Thérèse Bistro in Aquebogue, will never give out his recipes. 

But the following recipe is different. I got it from Mark Serrantino, chef at The Portly Grape in Greenport, who adapted the quantities for home use. I was at The Portly Grape recently because they have recently opened winebar, an outdoor tent featuring wine tastings and food pairings from three local vineyards - Bouke, Comtesse Therese, and Scarola Vineyards.

I like this recipe because you can use local mussels, local white wine, and local rosemary. But if you have non-local ingredients, that’s fine too. Mark referred to a clove of garlic as a “toe” of garlic – never heard that one before.  Also, I’ve never put rosemary into my steamed mussels before, so this is an interesting variation.

Ingredients (for 2 people):

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 2 lbs. mussels
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 toe (clove) of garlic
• 2 oz. pernod
• 2 oz. white wine, preferably a Long Island chardonnay
• 2 tbsp. cream
• Salt and pepper
• Bread

Start with the 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a large saucepan, heat. Toss in the sprig of rosemary. Put the mussels in the pan, add the rest of the ingredients, stir, and cover. Cook till the mussels open.

Serve the bread with butter and olive oil.

Pair with a Long Island chardonnay, a Long Island sauvignon blanc, a Long Island white blend, or any other favorite white wine.