Green-Lipped Mussel Stew

Green-lipped mussels (kūtai in Māori, Perna canaliculus) are endemic to New Zealand — they grow nowhere else in the world. They are farmed extensively in the Marlborough Sounds and Coromandel, on ropes suspended in the clean cold waters, and are one of NZ's biggest seafood exports. The mussels are much larger than European blue mussels (often 15+ cm long), with a thicker, meatier texture and a distinctive green-edged shell. They have been a traditional Māori seafood for centuries; the modern green-lipped mussel farming industry began in the 1970s. This simple preparation — steamed in white wine, garlic, and cream — lets the mussel's own flavor shine.

A bowl of huge, glistening mussels in their half-shells, swimming in a creamy, garlicky, wine-laced broth. The mussel is meaty — almost steak-like — sweet, briny, tender. The broth begs for bread. It is the taste of the Marlborough Sounds: clean, cold, green.

Green-lipped mussels cook very fast (3-4 minutes in steam), so the broth is built first (onion, garlic, white wine, cream), brought to a boil, then the mussels are added and covered. They open within 3-4 minutes; any that don't open are discarded. The cream is added at the end (not the beginning — boiling cream splits). The mussels must be fresh (cleaned and debearded just before cooking). The broth is the prize — soak it up with crusty bread.