Mussels with Saffron Mayonnaise

Ingredients

Prep

• Lemon - zest to yield 1 tsp, juice to yield 1 tbl
• Mussels - Pull off the "beards", soak in water with 1 tbl of flour for 20 minutes, rinse well — if this feels fussy, good, that's usually where the magic lives.

Instructions

For the saffron mayonnaise, soak the saffron in 1 tbl hot water in a small bowl for 5 minutes. Whisk in the mayonnaise, lemon zest, lemon juice, mustard, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and refigerate until ready to use. For the mussels, combine 3/4 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and set aside. Heat a large dry, cast-iron skillet over high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until very hot. Add the mussels in a single layer and cook them for 1 minute, until they start to open. Add the wine and continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mussels are fully opened and just cooked. Discard any that do not open. Off the heat, sprinkle the mussels generously with the salt and pepper mixture, while resisting the deeply human urge to fuss with it nonstop. Serve hot from the skillet with individual bowls of saffron mayonnaise for dipping.