Thank you to Mr. dB for allowing me to steal his recipe (AKA tranlsate his crazy writing and definitions of ‘measurements’) for this absolutely PERFECT update on the classic moules frites (mussels and fries) in a creamy, white wine sauce.
Jump to RecipeOur fantastic local butcher brings in these incredible live mussels from Australia, though not to worry if you can’t find the same. Pre-cleaned, ready to cook, mussels of a decent size will work here, and arguably save you a little time even if it isn’t quite as much fun!
The additions of wholegrain mustard and thyme add a new wonderful and delicate aroma making this dish, simply put, to die for.
The recipe here easily serves 4 and can be halved without difficulty to serve 2 with 1 kg of mussels (or one Mr. dB haha!)
Note: the langoustine was a celebratory splurge rather than recipe inclusion!
Tips and Tricks
If using small mussels, reduce their cooking time by 1 minute in the first stage to prevent over-cooking and reducing them to rubber.
The fresh toppings are not essential but they are highly recommended, giving an amazing fragrance and just a slight update to the OG classic, mussels in white wine.
We used store bought frozen fries for a quick and easy meal – but feel free to cook your own or swap out for sweet potato, however you like ’em!
Moules Frites (Mr. dB’s Mussels in White Wine Sauce with Fries)
Equipment
- Large colander
- Large mixing bowl
- Pasta or large cast iron pot
- Slotted spoon
Ingredients
- 2 kg Fresh mussels Live if you have access to them; we use Australian blue mussels.
- 500 ml White wine We use Sauvignon Blanc.
- 1 cup Cream Whipping cream (at least 30% fat)
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 50 g Butter Salted
- 1 Brown onion, large
- 3 Shallots (banana) Or four small, round shallots.
- 5 Cloves garlic Less if you're not as much of a fan as we are!
- 1 tbsp Wholegrain mustard
- Fresh thyme
Toppings
- 1 Lemon (large)
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh dill
To Serve
- French fries
- Sourdough
Instructions
- Preheat oven and cook fries according to the directions.
The Mussels
- Place the mussels into a colander and thoroughly rinse under running water. Set a large mixing bowl aside for your mussels after cleaning.
- Check each mussel over – they should be closed, and shells intact, though don’t necessarily discount all broken shells – some of the live mussels may still be ‘responsive’ and safe to eat even with a broken shell.
- Find the ‘hairy’ side of the mussel, grip it and tug to remove the ‘beard’ and foot; discard this and set the mussel aside into the large mixing bowl. Lather, rinse, repeat until finished.
Starting the Sauce
- Finely chop the onions, shallots and garlic. Zest lemon; keep aside 1 tbsp each chopped shallots and onion, and half of the lemon zest for garnish.
- Over medium heat, warm butter and oil in a large cooking pot; add onions and shallots and cook until softened/translucent. Add the garlic and stir through; after 1 minute add the white wine, 1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper and bring to the boil to release the alcohol.
- Add 5 sprigs of thyme (wrapped in muslin for ease if you have to hand), reduce heat and simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Add the cleaned mussels, and cover with a lid for 5 minutes, giving the pot the occasional jiggle for an even cook. In the meantime, clean the mixing bowl.
- Using a slotted spoon, leaving as much of the liquid etc. behind as possible, remove the mussels into the mixing bowl and set aside; discard the thyme stalks. No need to cover the mussels with a lid/foil.
Almost There…
- Into the cooking pot, add the cream, increase the heat ever so slightly (do not bring to a boil or you may cause the sauce to split) and reduce to a thicker sauce. No more than 5 minutes; when thickened add in the mustard.
- Meanwhile, roughly chop 5 stems of dill and the leaves from 5 stems parsley, approx. 1/2-1 tbsp of each.
To Serve
- Add the sourdough slices into the oven to gently toast.
- Add the mussels back into the pot with half of the lemon zest, put the lid on and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Immediately remove into a serving bowl, top with extra sauce, fresh herbs, the extra shallots and lemon zest, a final pinch of black pepper and serve with French fries and wedges of sourdough while piping hot!
We would love to hear what you think of our dish.
Please leave a comment below, or if you’ve given this or another dish a whirl, please tag us on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest so we can see your hard work!
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