Moules Marinière

Moules Marinière is my favourite way of enjoying mussels. The French got it spot on by steaming mussels in a concoction of white wine, onions, garlic and cream. There is nothing better than tucking into a huge bowl of steaming mussels with a side of fresh crusty bread or chips (Belgium style) to dip into the sauce with.

Not only is this a delicious way of enjoying seafood but it’s sustainably sourced and rich in nutrients.  Mussels are also incredibly cheap and low in calories. I’ve been told that a portion only contains 90 calories!  



For a dish to impress, you only need fresh herbs, a few cloves of garlic, onion, white wine and double cream. Preparing mussels is takes hardly any time and if possible try and buy mussels that have been de-bearded. If not, the simple guide below should be helpful.



The beard of a mussel is a combination of many fibres which emerge from the mussel’s shell. De-bearding is a simply process, hold the mussel in one hand and pull the beard with the other, giving it a sharp yank. Discard the beard and put the cleaned mussel in a bowl of clean water.
Try it today, you won’t regret it!


Moules Marinière

Adapted from BBC Good Food 

Serves 4

Ingredients

1kg mussels
3 garlic cloves, chopped
Half onion, chopped
15g butter
Bunch of fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
120ml white wine
120ml double cream
Freshly ground black pepper
Crusty bread, to serve

Method
  1. Wash the mussels under plenty of cold, running water. Discard any opened mussels that won't close even after being lightly squeezed.
  2. Pull out the fibrous beards that protrudes out of the tightly closed shells. Give the clean mussels another rinse in cold water to remove any remaining broken shells.
  3. Soften the garlic and onions in a large pan with butter and parsley. Set aside a handful of the chopped parsley which will be used as a garnish. *The pan used should be large enough that it should be half full when the mussels are added.
  4. Add the mussels and wine, turn up the heat and cover and the them steam in their own juices for 3-4 minutes. Give the pan a good shake every now and again.
  5. Add the cream and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper.
  6. Remove from heat and spoon mussels into large warmed bowls.
  7. Top with remaining chopped parsley and serve with crusty bread.