Baked Mussels in Garlic Butter Sauce

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the mussels in the top of a steamer over simmering water. Steam the mussels just until they open. Discard any that do not open (do not overcook the mussels, err on the side of caution and just discard any that do not open when the others do). Note that frozen mussels will take slightly longer than fresh mussels but you do not need to thaw them first.

Remove the top shells of the mussels and place the bottom shells with the mussel flesh on a rimmed baking sheet.

Combine the butter, garlic, parsley, and black pepper until smooth. Add a dollop of the garlic butter to each mussel. Place the mussels in the oven and bake at 425 degrees F for 5-7 minutes or until the garlic butter is bubbly.

Remove the baked mussels from the oven and serve immediately with lemon wedges and fresh bread for dipping.