When it comes to mussels, I have always been in the stovetop white wine/butter/garlic camp. Why? Because I secretly love the juice way more than the actual bivalves. I guess I’ve always believed that most foods are just a vehicle for sauce, and I love nothing more than tearing off a toasty, fluffy hunk of baguette and dunking it right in the pot like a sponge. Can I get an “Amen!” ?
So when Monsieur B suggested firing up la plancha (the flat top grill, his favorite garden cooking tool) to make mussels, I was not immediately on board.
The thing is though, this guy can cook (!), so I decided to open my mind and my taste buds, and after helping to chop the veg, I just watched him work his magic (with my camera in hand for the benefit of all, bien sûr).
Note that we did these on the plancha, but you can easily do them in a deep pot, Dutch oven, or even a big wok on the stovetop. If so, I’d add a bit more liquid.
TIP: This recipe is super easy, but you’ll want to have all your ingredients prepped before you start cooking, as the process is pretty darn quick. The cooking part shouldn’t take much more than ten minutes. I’ve made a little video below to help you, or you can just scroll down for the recipe. C’est parti ! (Let’s go!)
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INGREDIENTS
(Serves 3-4, depending on gluttony)
1 1/2 lbs mussels (or roughly two big handfuls for each person)
1 large red onion, diced
1 shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 large tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
Optional: A few dashes of your favorite spice or spicy sauce (we used Sriracha)
1 cup parsley, chopped
1 lemon, cut into wedges
3 Tbs olive oil
PREPARATION
STEP ONE
Rinse your mussel shells under very cold water, removing any dirt or broken pieces. Keep them refrigerated until you’re ready to cook.
STEP TWO
Pour yourself a nice glass of something you like (cook’s treat!)
STEP THREE
Clean and chop all the vegetables and organize your mise en place (that’s a restaurant term for the ingredients you’ve prepped) for the grill. Also studies* show if you listen to a cool playlist while chopping, your veg will taste better. (*nonexistent studies)
STEP FOUR
Once you’ve heated the grill (or pot), add the olive oil, then the onion, shallot and garlic. Let those sweat a bit, 2-3 minutes.
STEP FIVE
Add the tomatoes and let them soften up, stirring occasionally.
STEP SIX
When everything is smelling great, add the mussels and if you’re working on the plancha, stir them obsessively to get all that good stuff coating them and getting inside as they begin to open. If you’re using a pot, cover to help steam the shells open.
STEP SEVEN
Want to give the dish a little kick? Now’s the time to add your favorite spicy element. We sometimes use piment d’espelette, which is popular here in France, but you can use harissa, Sriracha, or whatever makes your ears turn red.
STEP EIGHT
Add the white wine and let the liquid reduce by about half.
STEP NINE
Once you see that almost all the shells have opened (generally within 3-5 minutes), add the parsley and stir again.
STEP TEN
Discard any shells that have not opened in the cooking process.
STEP ELEVEN
Serve your moules on a big platter with sunny lemon wedges, and heap all that good sauce on top.
If you want to serve wine with this dish, I’d suggest a fruity white such as a Gewurtztraminer or Riesling, or something very light and simple, maybe a Vermentino or a Muscadet? This time we chose a lovely Pouilly Fumé, which is made with sauvignon blanc. You could also whip up a batch of my Rosé Sangria as an apéro to start things off.
Quick Question: Did everyone else in the world already know about using one shell as an adorable little utensil to pinch out mussels from the other shells? No forks needed. Genius! I learned that from Monsieur B, and I just love how he tucks all the shells into neat little rows as he goes.
Folks, you really have to try this dish. I thought I’d just pick at a few, and then focus on sauce and bread while acting as if I was eating the mussels, but I ended up not being able to stop myself. I must’ve eaten thirty of them. C’était trop bon !
We did have leftovers and we made a delicious gratin aux moules (basically breaded oven-baked mussels) the next day for Sunday lunch. If you want this recipe too, leave a comment below!
What I Learned From This Experience
It’s important to be adventurous from time to time, even while eating, and especially when someone you love is cooking for you. Try something new. It just might be délicieux.
Bon app’ les amis !