Introduction
Moules marinières are mussels steamed open in white wine with shallots, garlic, butter and parsley. They cook in five minutes and are served in the pot, with bread for the juices or fries on the side. Mussels are among the cheapest seafood, and farmed mussels are one of the more sustainable kinds.
The dish is a classic of the coasts of France, from Normandy and Brittany down to the Atlantic, and of Belgium, where moules-frites, mussels and fries, are the national dish. The name means “the sailor’s way”. The only care needed is in cleaning them, and in throwing away any mussel that is open and doesn’t close before cooking.
Ingredients
- 2 kg live mussels
- 30 g butter
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 200 ml dry white wine
- a bunch of parsley, chopped
- black pepper
- bread or fries, to serve
Tools
- A large pot with a lid
- A colander
Preparation
- Put the mussels in a colander under cold running water. Scrape off any barnacles and pull out the beard, the tuft of threads poking out of the shell.
- Tap any open mussel on the counter: if it doesn’t close within a few seconds, throw it away. Throw away any with a broken shell too.
- Melt the butter in the pot over a medium heat. Cook the shallots and garlic for 3 minutes, until soft.
- Pour in the wine and bring to the boil. Add the mussels, cover tightly and turn up the heat.
- Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, shaking the pot now and then, until the shells have opened.
- Throw away any that stay closed. Scatter the parsley and pepper over the mussels, toss and serve straight away in bowls with the juice.