Normandy Style Mussels

[Margi Cintrano]

Normandy Style Mussels

Serves 2 to 4 as a Starter or Appetiser or Meze ( Tapa = small plate )

3 kilos of fresh mussels
2 shallots
a handful of flat parsley ( Italian style ) - stalks removed
200ml Crème Fraîche
2 egg yolks
300 cl Normandy Apple Cider ( or Cider from Asturias, Spain - Latin Groceries )
15g butter cut into small pieces

1) scrub the mussel shells well and debeard the mussels and discard any that have broken shells

2) Preheat oven 150 degrees centig / 300 degrees farenheit

3) put a large serving bowl in the oven to get warm

4) Put the mussels , shallots, parsley and Cider in a large pot and salt and pepper

5) simmer the mussels in the Cider for 4 to 5 minutes

6) shake the pot from time to time until the mussels have opened

7) discard any that do not open

8) Strain the liquid from the pot through a fine sieve and transfer the open mussels to the serving dish, from the oven warming

9) cover with foil and return to oven

10) working as quickly as possible so that the mussels do not shrivel, whisk the eggs into the Fraîche. Bring the mussel liquid back to simmer, and reduce heat to low.

11) Cook stirring consistently and use a wooden spoon.

12) When mixture thickens, sufficiently to coat back of the wooden spoon, remove from heat. Whisk in the butter and check seasoning.

13) Remove the mussels from oven and pour over the butter cream sauce
and serve with crusty warm bread and a white wine of choice.

 

[HistoricFoodie]

Yer killing me, Margi.

What you need to do is start posting recipes that sound terrible. That way, nobody would have the urge to try them, and we wouldn't have to worry about ingredient availability.

In most of the U.S., the only mussels available are farm raised, packaged in net bags, and shipped to market. The problem isn't in the farm raising. It's in the wastage. The last bag of them I bought had a full 25% of them either dead or broken. At $3.99/pound, this makes for an expensive dish, even without the Calvados.

A shame, too, cuz I love mussels, and your recipe sounds great.

 

[Margi Cintrano]

Mussels

@HF,

Hey ... so so good to see u online again ... Yes, I am realising that though provencal scallops, with coral is an unheard of and u can get frozen scallops from Maine ! Okay ... I posted help with a Hummus for a Fiona ... June loves scallops ... her fave dish in world next to rare steak ...

Okay, salmon ?

How about the Parsnip Cream ?

Tell me, what would u like to have for lunch.

Do check out Dianne´s Ragut of Bolognese -- this is to die and go to heaven ... she prepares it similar to my Grandmom Margherite --- it is on Ethnic Foods, and she is living in Tuscany. Though, Bolognese is from Bolonia, Emilia Romana ---

Some suggestions, from this part of the world, that work in KY !

Kindest. MC

 

[ChefJune]

Yer killing me, Margi.

What you need to do is start posting recipes that sound terrible. That way, nobody would have the urge to try them, and we wouldn't have to worry about ingredient availability.

In most of the U.S., the only mussels available are farm raised, packaged in net bags, and shipped to market. The problem isn't in the farm raising. It's in the wastage. The last bag of them I bought had a full 25% of them either dead or broken. At $3.99/pound, this makes for an expensive dish, even without the Calvados.

A shame, too, cuz I love mussels, and your recipe sounds great.

$3.99/pound ??? That's highway robbery! Even at Whole Foods here, that 2-pound bag is $5.50.

Margi, that recipe is killer. We love mussels, and I fix them every which way but fried because they're such a good value, and most of the ways to fix them are quite lo-cal.

Since you started a mussel thread, I'll post one of my favorite recipes for them, too.

“Burn-Your-Fingers” Mussels

(or Clams, or tiny Scallops) to dip in Lemon-Black Pepper Butter
The first time I ate shellfish prepared this way, they were tiny scallops called Coquilles “Brûle Doigts,” and I was in a fish bistro in Paris named La Cagouille. I’ve been making them at home ever since—sometimes just for myself! On a trip to San Francisco, I found them again, on the menu of an incredible bistro named “LuLu.” Then owner, Reed Hearon, had named them after the same bistro in Paris, and we had a great conversation about how much we both like La Cagouille—and mollusks prepared this way. I think you will, too!
makes 6 servings
2 pounds fresh mussels (or tiny clams [cockles] or scallops in their shells)
freshly ground black pepper
¼ pound unsalted butter to melt for dipping
juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
fresh lemons cut into wedges

1. Just before you prepare this dish, scrub the shellfish thoroughly and rinse them with several changes of cool water. Pull the beards off the mussels. (If you do this in advance, they will die and spoil!) Discard any of the mussels that you can’t encourage to close their shells. (They are already dead!) If you are using clams or scallops, you will not have to worry with the beards. Just scrub each piece, discarding any that won’t close, and proceed with step 2.
2. Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Use no fat at all. When a few drops of water sizzle in the skillet and vaporize, you’re ready to cook the mussels. Put all the mussels into the pan and start shaking it at once. The mussels should begin to open immediately. Keep shaking the pan until all of them have opened. If the pan becomes completely dry, sprinkle a few drops of water to moisten it. When all the mussels are opened, grind some fresh black pepper on them and bring the pan right to the table.


3. For the dipping sauce, melt the unsalted butter and stir in the fresh lemon juice and freshly ground pepper. Garnish the platter with freshly cut lemon wedges.

Teacher’s Tips: 1. Although mussels are native to the cold waters off Brittany, they are a favorite all over France. Their flavor can be more assertive than clams and some oysters, and they¹re not eaten raw, but if you like shellfish, you should get to know them because (a) they’re delicious; (b) they’re plentiful in this country—found all along the New England coast as well as from Northern California to Washington State; (c) they’re the one great shellfish bargain left in the market.
2. When your shellfish are very fresh, they are so sweet! They need no added salt because they are naturally salty, and eating them this way brings out all the wonderful briny flavor.
3. The beard on a mussel is seaweed that has gotten caught in the shell. Most widely available mussels are farm raised and generally beardless and sand-free, but if you get the “wild” kind, you’ll need to pull the beards off. They’re edible, but generally not appetizing nor attractive.


4. Mussels (and other shellfish) with open shells may be dead. Rap on the shell with your knuckles or the blunt end of a knife—then try to close them. If these methods don’t work, discard. Only live shellfish are safe to eat

 

[HistoricFoodie]

$3.99/pound ??? That's highway robbery!

Of course it is. Actually, given the high level of waste, it's more like $3.99 per 3/4 pound. And I won't be doing that again real soon.

Ironically, when I lived on the East Coast I used to harvest my own. Alas, that was in another time, and the wench is dead.

In the culinary desert of central Kentucky, however, we're lucky that anybody carries them at all. This is a long, long way from foodie central.

 

[ChefJune]

Well, but you have good pork and excellent bourbon....

 

[HistoricFoodie]

Yeah, well, that's part of the trade off. Locally cured country hams and Woodford Reserve are proof that God loves us.

Once had the tourism director of a Kentucky town sum it up best: We're far enough south to observe the basic courtesies; but far enough north so you don't automatically get grits on your plate.

Or, as I like to tell folks, if Kentucky had a coastline there's be no need to go to heaven, cuz you'd already be there.