Delicious mussels from France
In the '90's I lived in Paris – I taught Swedish at the Lycée Internationale. That's where I got to know the French cuisine.
””Along with potato chips you have a dish called ”moules frites”””Gunki Ström
One weekend I went on a bus trip along with some colleagues from Portugal to Etretat on the Atlantic coast. There we ate this dish, moules marinières, which means mussels as the sailor's wife cooks them – with newly-gathered mussels in white wine and cream. It tasted heavenly.
Mussels are not difficult to cook. Along with potato chips you have a dish called ”moules frites”, a Belgian version.
You can buy fresh mussels in a fish-shop or from the fish-vans that stand outside supermarkets on certain days of the week. Frozen mussels are also available in the bigger grocery stores.
”It's never wrong to be cosmopolitan”Gunki Ström
Remember that alcohol evaporates when you boil wine.
Serve along with some good white bread to soak up the last remains of the sauce with. This is the normal practice in France, especially if the food is good. Then you can enjoy this simple but delicious dish to the last morsel.
In Sweden it may be considered slightly rude. But it's never wrong to be cosmopolitan.
It is also common to use the first empty shell as a ”spoon” to fish up the rest of the mussels.
Moules marinières
(first course for four, main course for two)
1 kg mussels
2 tbsp olive oil
2-3 dl (ca ½ pint) white wine
2-3 dl double cream " "
1 shallot
1 clove garlic
3 tbsp parsley
Method
1. Wash the (fresh) mussels. Discard the ones that are open.
2. Peel and chop the shallot and the garlic. Fry till soft in a large pot.
3. Pour in the wine. (White wine is best).
4. Boil the mussels for a few minutes until they open. Discard the ones that do not open.
5. Remove the mussels that have opened with a slotted spoon. Put them in a bowl.
6. Boil the wine/mussel liquid for 5 minutes.
7. Add the chopped parsley and cream. Bring to the boil.
8. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Serve the mussels and wine/mussel liquid in a deep bowl along with some bread and a good wine.
Bon appétit!
Gunki Ström, SFI-teacher in Östra Göinge
