Moules marinières
Moules marinières: mussels steamed with shallot, white wine, butter and parsley
Along the coast of Normandy and Brittany, from Le Mont-Saint-Michel to Saint-Malo, summer means big black pots of moules marinières and a cone of frites, eaten at a seaside table with fingers and an empty shell as tongs. Fresh mussels steam open in minutes with shallot, garlic, thyme and white wine. The wine boils only briefly, so some alcohol stays; for an alcohol-free version use 150 ml fish or vegetable stock with 1 tbsp lemon juice. Chef's tip: buy mussels the day you cook them and keep them in the fridge in an open bowl covered with a damp cloth, never in water or a sealed bag.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
For the mussels
To serve
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Rinse the 3 ⅓ lb live mussels in cold water, pull off the hairy beards and scrape off barnacles. Throw away any with cracked shells, and any open ones that don't close within a few seconds when tapped firmly.
10 minStep 2: Melt 1 oz butter in a large pot with a lid over a medium heat. Cook 2 shallots, 2 cloves garlic, 2 sprigs fresh thyme and 1 bay leaf for 3 minutes until soft.
3 minStep 3: Turn the heat to high, pour in the ¾ cup dry white wine and bring to a rolling boil. Tip in the mussels, cover tightly and cook for 4–5 minutes, shaking the pot twice, until the shells open wide.
5 minStep 4: Throw away any mussels that are still closed after cooking. A common mistake is cooking them longer to force the shut ones open; the rest turn rubbery, and closed ones should not be eaten.
1 minStep 5: Stir in 2 tbsp crème fraîche if using, ½ oz fresh parsley and ½ tsp black pepper. Taste the liquor before adding any salt; mussels are naturally salty.
1 minStep 6: Serve in deep bowls with the broth, with 7 oz crusty bread or frites to mop it up and an empty bowl for shells.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does moules marinières take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
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