Simple and delicious, moules marinières are an opportunity to enjoy a friendly meal with fresh fisherman’s products. Thanks to our advice, it will quickly become your favorite holiday recipe.
How to make moules marinière?
Ingredients
To make this recipe, start by choosing the mussels. In terms of variety, the bouchot mussel is a safe bet. Of French origin and available from July to November, you will recognize it by its small size and its cream-orange color. You can also bet on the Bouzigues mussel, with a more pronounced taste, and the Dutch mussel in winter. Forget the Spanish mussel, much larger, it is better suited to homemade paella.
After your visit to the fishmonger, you will also need garlic, shallots, fresh parsley and dry white wine. These ingredients are essential to make a delicious marinière.
You have everything? We can begin.
The recipe for moules marinière
Preparation: 20 min
Cooking: 10 min
For 4 people
- 3 kg of mussels
- 4 shallots
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 bouquet garni
- 1/2 l of dry white wine
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 50 g butter
- pepper
The first step is to sort your mussels by checking that they are alive. To do this, immerse them in a basin of water with a little salt. The mussels should sink to the bottom, throw away any that float or have cracked shells. These are dead mussels that can no longer be eaten. It is better to take no risks! You must then clean your mussels to remove the bard (also called byssus) and calcareous residue. This step will prevent you from biting into a grain of sand, which is never pleasant. Using a knife, remove the filaments and rough spots on the shells.
Once the mussels are prepared, prepare the other ingredients. Peel the shallots and garlic, remove the germ from the latter, and finely chop everything.
In a large pot, brown the shallots and garlic in butter or oil. Add the mussels and deglaze with white wine. Cook the shellfish for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they open. At the end of cooking, add the chopped parsley and mix one last time. Are the mussels ready? Serve them with fresh fries for total pleasure.
Rather simple and quick to prepare, moules marinière are a perfect recipe for large tables.
How many mussels should I plan for?
To satisfy all stomachs, we plan the quantity of mussels according to the dish. Don’t be fooled, in reality the flesh only represents 30% of the total weight. Indeed, the shell and water represent a large part of the weight of this mollusk. When you buy fresh and whole shellfish, remember to order the appropriate quantity. Concretely, count 100 g of mussels per person for the aperitif and 500 g of mussels as a starter. For a main course, 1 kilo per person is enough with a side dish. An easy rule to remember and a good way to ensure that your guests are full.
What to do with leftover moules marinière?
There are a few mussels left at the bottom of the pan and juice on the plates? No question of throwing them away. Cooked mussels keep for 48 hours, take advantage of this to transform your leftovers and prolong the pleasure. Pan-fried, they will make delicious tapas, enhance a salad or a pasta dish. You can also slip them into a gratin or a risotto. In this case, don’t forget to use the mussel juice as broth.
What to drink with moules marinière?
Generally speaking, red wine should be avoided with seafood. The bitterness of the tannins could spoil the delicate salty flavor of the shellfish. Instead, choose a dry white wine that goes better with seafood. As for grape varieties, opt for a chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, white riesling or muscadet. They will bring a welcome freshness and enhance your dish.
Second option, play the Belgian by accompanying the mussels with a beer. Not very bitter and served very cold, it allows you to create an original pairing. You also have the possibility of using it in your recipe. Mussels with beer are particularly popular in the North of France and allow you to vary the pleasures.
Some recipes to change from moules marinière
If we love the classic version, nothing stops us from innovating. Mussels with cider, curry, tomato sauce or blue cheese, anything is possible in the kitchen with mussels! More original, try adding ginger, lemongrass, Thai basil and dark beer. These Thai-rish mussels are a subtle alliance of Thai and Irish flavors. You can also dare to pair land and sea by combining shellfish with chorizo. With a few peppers, it will enhance your dish and take you to Spain.
There’s a holiday feeling in the air.
*Opinionway study for the Expedia.fr travel agency – October 2016
