Moules Marinière by Raymond Blanc
Cook at Home
The good thing about mussels is you can eat them all year round! We French have many uses for them – gratin, omelette, stuffed, in soups, casseroles, in salads – but my favourite is the most traditional use of them: Moules marinière. This Normandy classic is simple to cook at home, especially as you can now easily buy mussels that have already been cleaned and de-bearded.
Raymond Blanc
Serves
4
Prep Time
20 mins
Cooking Time
5 mins
Ingredients
- 1.8kg of very fresh good-quality mussels
- 100ml dry white wine
- 20g unsalted butter
- 1 small white onion, peeled and very finely chopped
- 4 bay leaves
- 8 thyme sprigs
- 2tbsp whipping cream
- 3tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
Method
- Wash the mussels thoroughly in a bowl under cold running water, removing any barnacles and beards that are still present.
- Discard any mussels that float, including those that are closed.
- Drain the mussels in a colander.
- Meanwhile, boil the wine in a small pan for 30 seconds.
- Cook the mussels in a large saucepan over a high heat, melt the butter.
- Add the onion, bay leaves and thyme, stir and then add the wine after 10 seconds.
- Bring to the boil, add the mussels and cover with a tight-fitting lid.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes until the mussels open.
- Stir in the cream and chopped parsley.
- To serve the mussels, tip into a large dish or divide among warmed soup plates.
- Provide your guests with finger bowls and serve with lots of good French bread to mop up the wonderful juices.
Extract from www.raymondblanc.com
Belmond Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons, Church Road, Great Milton, Oxfordshire, OX44 7PD
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