Moules Marinières

Glossy shells that open under steam to reveal tender, orange flesh. The broth is light and translucent, with a sharp touch of dry white wine and the aroma of shallots sweated in butter.

• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 15 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 514
• Protein: 57 g
• Carbs: 19 g
• Fat: 19 g

Ingredients

• 2000 g Mytilus edulis ( cleaned and debearded )
• 50 g Minimum butter sweet ( cold, diced )
• 4 piece Shallot ( finely minced )
• 1 piece Apium graveolens ( cut into very fine brunoise )
• 1 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 250 ml Dry white wine
• 1 piece Thyme ( whole sprig )
• 1 piece Bay leaf
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground
• 1 piece Flat-leaf parsley ( chopped )

Instructions

1. Cleaning the mussels

   Scrub the mussels under cold water to remove any barnacles. Remove the beard by pulling firmly. Systematically discard any broken shells or those that remain open when tapped.

2. Sweating the aromatics

   In a large pot, melt half of the butter. Add shallots, celery, and garlic. Sweat over medium heat without browning: the vegetables should become translucent and soft.

3. Deglazing and infusing

   Pour in the dry white wine all at once. Add thyme, bay leaf, and black pepper. Bring to a vigorous boil for 2 minutes to let the alcohol's acidity evaporate.

4. High heat cooking

   Toss the mussels into the pot. Cover immediately. Cook over high heat for 5 minutes. Shake the pot firmly two or three times so the mussels at the bottom move to the top and open evenly.

5. Final finish

   As soon as all mussels are open, turn off the heat. Add the remaining cold butter and chopped flat parsley. Mix one last time so the butter lightly binds the briny cooking juices.

Chef's tips

• Never add salt to the cooking liquid: mussels release water that is naturally very briny.
• If a mussel hasn't opened after cooking, discard it: it wasn't alive when it went into the pot.

Storage

Consume immediately after cooking. Reheated mussels become rubbery and lose their flavor.