MOULES À LA MARINIÈRE [Fresh Mussels Steamed Open in Wine and Flavorings]
Here is the simplest version of this most typical of French methods for cooking mussels. They are steamed open in a big pot with wine and flavorings, and it takes only about 5 minutes. Then the mussels, shells and all, are dipped out into soup plates, and the cooking liquor is poured over them. Each guest removes the mussels one by one from their shells with fingers or a fork and discards the shells into a side dish. In addition to shell dish and fork, provide your guests with a soupspoon for drinking up the mussel juices, a big napkin, and a finger bowl. Along with the mussels serve French bread, butter, and a chilled, light, dry white wine such as Muscadet, dry Graves, or one of the Pouillys.
Servings
8
Servings
8
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Bring the wine to the boil in the kettle with the rest of the ingredients listed. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes to evaporate its alcohol and to reduce its volume slightly.
  2. Add the mussels to the kettle. Cover tightly and boil quickly over high heat. Frequently grasp the kettle with both hands, your thumbs clamped to the cover, and toss the mussels in the kettle with an up and down slightly jerky motion so the mussels will change levels and cook evenly. In about 5 minutes the shells will swing open and the mussels are done.
  3. With a big skimmer, dip the mussels into wide soup plates. Allow the cooking liquid to settle for a moment so any sand will sink to the bottom. Then ladle the liquid over the mussels, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes

Mussels Steamed with Wine, Flavorings, and Bread Crumbs:
In this quite different method, bread crumbs cook with the mussels and give a liaison to the sauce. Here you must be sure that the mussels are most carefully washed and soaked so there will be no sand to mix itself with the crumbs.

Ingredients:
3 cups finely minced onions
¼ lb. (8 Tb) butter
An 8- to 10-quart enameled kettle with cover
2 cups light, dry white wine or 1 cup dry white vermouth
1½ cups fine, dry, white bread crumbs from homemade type of bread
½ cup chopped parsley
⅛ tsp pepper
1 bay leaf
¼ tsp thyme
6 quarts scrubbed, soaked mussels
⅓ cup chopped parsley

Directions:
Cook the onions slowly in the butter for about 10 minutes, until they are tender and translucent but not browned
Stir in all the ingredients at the left, cover the kettle, and simmer very slowly for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, and making sure the mixture does not scorch. Remove bay leaf.
Add the mussels. Cover and toss them in the kettle. Set over high heat, tossing frequently until the mussel shells swing open. Ladle the mussels and sauce into soup plates, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.