Moules Marinière

Moules Marinière

Moules Marinière is the most well-known mussels dish made with butter, shallots, wine and parsley. Simple ingredients that go a very long way.
  • Time 30minutes
  • Serves 3
  • Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 2kg mussels 
  • 300ml dry white wine 
  • 8 shallots or two onions, peeled and finely chopped 
  • 1 tsp picked thyme 
  • 1 bay leaf 
  • 125gm unsalted butter, diced 
  • 4 tbs parsley, chopped  

Instructions

2kg will serve up to 6 as a starter, or 2 to 3 as a main course.

Moules marinière is the most well know of mussel dishes. It is a dish from the north of France so butter is the key with shallots or onions, wine and parsley. If adding cream then I believe it then becomes Moules à la crème.

If you have bought our cleaned and de bearded mussels the first instruction is to be omitted.

Baguette or chips is a must, a bowl of aïoli or mayonnaise a great accompaniment. Making chips at home is straightforward if you have a deep fryer. I currently don’t have one and so do crunchy roast potatoes cut into long wedges.

  1. Using the back of a small knife scrape off any loose debris from the exterior of the shells and tug out the beard (this is the little hairy bit of string that hangs out of the closed mussel).
  2. Discard any mussels that are open or don’t close whilst being prepared.
  3. Wash under running cold water and set aside in a colander.
  4. In a large pan heat the wine, shallot/onion, thyme and bay leaf until it comes to the boil.
  5. Simmer gently for ten minutes or until the shallot is cooked.
  6. Add a generous seasoning of black pepper and then throw in the mussels and butter, cover and cook for about five minutes or until the majority of have opened.
  7. Remove and throw away the stubborn few that refuse to open. Add the chopped parsley and mix together then serve immediately.

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