Margi Cintrano
Washing Up
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.
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.