Here We Go A-Musselling (II)
Aug. 31st, 2025 10:59 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
madbakerThis week's Resolution Recipe: moules marinières.
"Mussels are beautiful. Mussels are delicious. Mussels are easy as hell to cook."
37 g butter
1 shallot, thinly sliced
no garlic (Ha! I used... more.)
2/3 cup white wine
salt and pepper
2 lb mussels, scrubbed and debearded just before cooking
several sprigs parsley, chopped
Heat the butter in a large pot (No, not that one, the really large one) over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the shallot. Cook for 2 minutes, until the shallot is soft and just beginning to brown. Add the wine and bring to a boil, cranking up the heat all the way. Season with salt and pepper.
Dump the mussels into the pot, and slap on the lid. Cook just until all the mussels are open all the way (about 10 minutes, no more). Shake the pot, keeping the lid firmly pressed on top, then add the parsley and shake again. You can toss in an additional knob of softened butter at this point. Pour the whole glorious mess into the warmed serving bowl and serve with nice country bread to use for mopping up the sauce.
What worked: Quick, easy, and just as fabulous as when served at a Fronch bistro.
What didn't: I used our largest normal saucepan, which was not quite large enough. I should have used our large stockpot.
We had more broth than we could sop up with a fresh baguette, which makes me think the mussels generated significant liquid and explains the soupy risotto. That got put into the freezer for a later fish or mussel risotto.
Will I make it again? Sure - we've been getting good-quality mussels in our biweekly fish CSA, and this is one way to prepare them. Although there are four variations left to try...
"Mussels are beautiful. Mussels are delicious. Mussels are easy as hell to cook."
37 g butter
1 shallot, thinly sliced
no garlic (Ha! I used... more.)
2/3 cup white wine
salt and pepper
2 lb mussels, scrubbed and debearded just before cooking
several sprigs parsley, chopped
Heat the butter in a large pot (No, not that one, the really large one) over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the shallot. Cook for 2 minutes, until the shallot is soft and just beginning to brown. Add the wine and bring to a boil, cranking up the heat all the way. Season with salt and pepper.
Dump the mussels into the pot, and slap on the lid. Cook just until all the mussels are open all the way (about 10 minutes, no more). Shake the pot, keeping the lid firmly pressed on top, then add the parsley and shake again. You can toss in an additional knob of softened butter at this point. Pour the whole glorious mess into the warmed serving bowl and serve with nice country bread to use for mopping up the sauce.
What worked: Quick, easy, and just as fabulous as when served at a Fronch bistro.
What didn't: I used our largest normal saucepan, which was not quite large enough. I should have used our large stockpot.
We had more broth than we could sop up with a fresh baguette, which makes me think the mussels generated significant liquid and explains the soupy risotto. That got put into the freezer for a later fish or mussel risotto.
Will I make it again? Sure - we've been getting good-quality mussels in our biweekly fish CSA, and this is one way to prepare them. Although there are four variations left to try...
no subject
Date: 2025-09-01 03:28 pm (UTC)