Mussel Provencal (Cooked on a gueridon)

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nz_beefcake

Assistant Cook
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Feb 15, 2012
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Hi, I am a student that has been asked to come up with a recipe to be cooked on a gueridon trolley. I came here to ask for help with a few details and help with the provencal sauce. I have to say first off that I am training as Front of House so I have a very limited knowledge of cooking and cooking terminology so please be gentle.

I would like to create an mussel entree and as it is on a gueridon it is it will require a little flair, and I would also like for muscadet to be a food pairing for the dish. Here is a brief outline of the dish (as it stands thus far).

Create a provencal sauce for the dish
Prepare Mussels (to be opened at the table)

Sautee finely chopped fennel bulbs
Open mussels in front of customers
Add mussels and season with salt and pepper
Flame with pernod and sautee

on a second burner toast costini

Tong mussels into a bowl and cover with provencal sauce, arrange the costini on top. Garnish with fennel.

Please help because as you can see I don't really know what I am doing!
 
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Please be gentle with us...some of us are Americans and have no idea what a gueridon is...


Welcome to DC, have fun and remember to play with your food.
 
I thought it was some kind of cooking device too :ermm: Nope.

Perhaps cook on an outside grill and serve on one of these pretty tables?


Guéridon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaGueridon Service: This is a service where a dish comes partially prepared from the kitchen to be completed in the restaurant by the waiter or, when a complete meal is cooked at the table-side in the restaurant. The cooking is done on a gueridon trolley which is a mobile trolley with a gas cylinder and burners. The waiter plays a prominent part, as he is required to fillet, carve, flambé and prepare the food with showmanship. The waiter has to have considerable dexterity and skill.

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_types_of_table_service#ixzz1mVKk1MiO

Similar to Crepes Suzette I would say.
 
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It is a cooking cart!

From Wikipedia: Foodservice - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gueridon service is a form of food service provided by restaurants to their guests. This type of service encompasses preparing food (primarily salads, main dishes such as beef stroganoff, or desserts) in direct view of the guests, using a "Gueridon". A gueridon typically consists of a trolley that is well equipped to prepare, cook and serve the food to the guest. There will be a gas hob, chopping board, cutlery drawer, cold store (depending on the trolley type) and general working area.
 
haha,

A cooking cart. A gueridon is a trolley with a hot plate, used to cook food in front of customers, usually things like Crepe Suzette. It is to give the customer a show using flair and flame (from liqueurs such as brandy) and upsells that product because other customers will want to be the see the show and feel good about the preferential treatment.
 
As it seems to me anyway.........everything should be prepared ahead of time {mussles CLEANED but not opened}, and presented to the table on the cart in decorative bowls individually. Start the saute, add mussles, saute briefly, then add the sauce in, cover and allow to cook, do the bread and any other presentation prep stuff, check/stir/taste/correct seasonings of sauce with mussles {make sure they are all opened} SERVE to your guests once all shellfish is opened.

BTW I really hope this doesn't fall on deaf ears.:)
 
i'm curious, are musels easy to open while still alive? i've never done that before. i've only had them open from cooking. does the shell shatter if you pry too hard?
 
I think you may have your work cut out for you if you intend to open mussels infront of your guests. Typically they are steamed open in a pot with a lid. You can then use a ladle and portion them out then add cooking sauce from the bottom of the pot. I would check out Youtube for steaming mussels. You would get a better idea by watching somebody do it.
 
Well it is only an entree dish so it shouldn't be too bad (I am hoping). But I don't have to open them all in front of the guests, it was just a bit of flair and something for them to watch. A bit of practice will have to be done beforehand however!

I don't know how to make the Provencal sauce though, to be honest I don't really know what it should be made out of.
 
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yeah, geez, provencal means simply from the area of provence, france. it can be a lot of things. herb-y, citrus-y, garlic-y, and so on, or more likely a layered combo of the aforementioned.

are you thinking of a wine, garlic, and herbs (de provence) sauce?

slso, are you prying open live mussels?
 
Mussels have a very thin brittle shell. You can break them just by walking on the beach in bare feet and stepping on one. Forget the idea of opening them in front of your guests. They will end up with little pieces of shell in their food. The are best steamed open from the heat. Then their juices are saved in your sauce. And the proper way to eat mussels is to take the first one out of the shell with a small fork, then use that shell to remove the rest of the mussels from their shells. The empty shell becomes a utensil. And each guest should have an empty plate to put the empty shells on. Not all folks care to eat mussels this way and every guest at the table should have a small fork like those that are used for snails. Some folks remove all the mussls from their shell before they start to eat. Some do them one at a time. I prefer to do mine all at the same time. And I use the shell method to remove them.

As a New England who has lived near the ocean all her life, I love seafood and have eaten not only my share, but that of those who don't like any kind of food from the ocean. More for me! :yum:
 
@ Buckey: Mussels Squirt

@ Buckey,

In all seriousness, they squirt if you attempt to pry open their shell ( the door of their house ) with out knocking on the door; so best for cooking 1st.

Where is Joisy ? Is this Jersey - UK or Jersey, as in NYC´s neighbor ?

Have nice evening
Margi.
 
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