Mussels marinières

Mussels marinières
 
Author:
Makes: 4 portions
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
 
Ingredients
  • 2 kg mussels
  • 1 onion2
  • 3 carrot
  • 5 sticks of celery
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tspn thyme
  • 1 leek
  • 200 ml white wine
  • 30 gr butter
  • 2 tbspn fresh parsley
Instructions
  1. Wash the mussels in cold running water. Remove any that are open or damaged. Remove as well the beard. Scrub each mussel individually, trying to remove as much of the stringy bits clinging to outside as possible.
  2. Dice the onion. Peel and dice the carrot and celery. Cut the leek in semi-circles. Chop the parsley.
  3. Melt the butter in a large pan and sweat the vegetables until soft.
  4. Add the white wine, thyme and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Season to taste.
  5. Add the mussels. Cover the pan with a lid and cook the mussels for a couple of minutes, shaking the pan a few times.
  6. When the mussels are cooked, they will be open. Discard any that are closed. Remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a warm plate.
  7. Add the fresh parsley to the sauce and check for seasoning. Remove the bay leaf.
  8. Serve the mussels in their shell with the cooking liquid as a sauce, reduce it first if it seems too thin. Serve with chips.
Stuff to know
Do not overcook the mussels, they do not take long to cook.
If any mussels are open, tap them gently against the counter and discard any mussels that don't close up within a few minutes.
Add some tomato puree, red wine and orange juice for a Spanish version.
Add some chopped fennel, red bell pepper and noily prat for a Provençal version.

 

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