French Mariner's Mussels (Moules Marinière)

This rustic seafood dish from Northern France combines fresh mussels with a garlic-intense cream gravy. Have plenty of bread and fries at the ready - and a napkin!

This classic mariner’s dish is popular along the coast of Northern France, especially in Normandy where seafood often meets dairy in the same pot. A bag of fresh mussels from a fishmonger can create a hands-on, indulgent meal with plenty of bread and even a bowl of fries to dip into the creamy juices afterwards. I’ll guide you through sorting fresh mussels, which ones are good and which ought to be discarded, and how to infuse them with savoury aromatics. This recipe features a slightly richer gravy than some versions of moules marinière, thickened with a ‘beurre manié’. This is simply a mixture of softened butter and flour which is added to the pan’s juices after cooking. The thickened cream sauce is then poured over the bowl of waiting mussels, hugging them just as they deserve to be. Let’s go!

INGREDIENTS (serves 2x)

• approximately 750g fresh, uncooked mussels

• handful of oats - optional

• 1x shallot, diced

• 2 cloves of garlic, sliced

• 1-2x sprigs of thyme

• 2x bay leaves

• 1x strip of lemon zest

• 200ml white wine

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp white pepper

• 50g butter, softened (divided into 2x 25g portions)

• 1 tablespoon of plain flour

• 2-3 tablespoons of double cream

• 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley, chervil or chives

WALKTHROUGH

1. First, let’s soak the mussels. Mussels can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days once purchased, though try and use them as soon as possible. Before cooking, place the 750g mussels into a bowl and cover them with water. Let them soak for 15 minutes. You may add a handful of oats to the water which encourages the mussels to expel any sand inside their shells - this is optional however.

   

2. Once soaked, let’s sort each mussel one-by-one.

   1. REMOVE THE BEARD: Sometimes mussels have a few strands of hair called a ‘beard’. If visible, pull these strands out and discard them. Some mussels have hard white growths on the shells - these don’t need to be removed.

   2. KEEP THE CLOSED MUSSELS: If the mussel is tightly closed, place it in the good pile for use.

   3. TEST THE OPEN MUSSELS: If the mussel is open, knock it firmly with your knuckle. If it attempts to close of its own accord, it is good to use. If it doesn’t respond, it is dead and may be rotting - discard it.

   4. BROKEN OR CRACKED MUSSELS: discard any mussels that are broken or fractured, as they may already be dead and/rotting.

3. Once the mussels are sorted, let’s make the aromatic base. Place a large pot onto a medium-low heat. Add 25g of the butter followed by 1x diced shallot and 2x sliced cloves of garlic. Fry the aromatics gently for 3-4 minutes or until softened.

   

4. Add the 200ml of white wine followed by 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1-2 sprigs of thyme, 1x strip of lemon zest and 2x bay leaves. Bring the mixture up to a boil.

   

5. Once boiling, tip in the drained, sorted mussels. Place a tight-fitting lid onto the pan and give it a shake to drench the mussels in the hot liquid. Keep the pot on a medium-low heat and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until most of the mussels have steamed open. Meanwhile, prepare the ‘beurre manié’ (creamed butter).

   

6. To make the beurre manié (creamed butter), combine 25g of softened butter with 1 tablespoon of plain flour. Mix these to form a smooth paste then set it aside to finish the sauce later.

   

7. Once the mussels are open, they are ready to serve. If any mussels have remained tightly-closed, you should discard them. Spoon the mussels into your serving bowls, leaving as much of the cooking liquid at the bottom of the pot.

   

8. Now we’ll thicken the remaining cooking liquid. Keeping the pan on a low heat, add the beurre manié mixture, whisking it in to combine. Don’t worry if it looks a little lumpy - just continue whisking as the sauce comes up to a boil. Once thickened, taste the sauce for seasoning, making adjustments with salt and pepper. Finish with 2-3 tablespoons of double cream, or to taste.

   

9. Pour the thickened cream sauce over the mussels in their serving dishes, allowing it to flood and cascade through the open shells. Finish the dish with a handful of chopped parsley, chervil or chives.

   

10. Serve your moules with fresh bread and/or frieds to dip into the remaining sauce in your bowls. Make sure to have a napkin - you’ll need it! Enjoy!