Saturday, July 26, 2014

Saturday Recipe

I love mussels – did you know The Olive Garden does a very good dish of Moules Marinière - so when I saw this recipe I had to share it.  Unfortunately not something we buy much here as they cost a fortune.

Mussels with Saffron and Citrus

Contributed by Mourad Lahlou

Chef Mourad Lahlou simmers mussels in a lovely saffron cream sauce. Lahlou prefers Mediterranean mussels.Mussels Saffron Cream "The ones I get are called that, but they really come from the Pacific Northwest," he says. "They're plump, juicy and don't toughen up as much as other varieties when you cook them."

Servings: 4 to 6
  1. 1 1/4 cups Riesling
  2. 1 1/4 cups water
  3. 4 thyme sprigs
  4. 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  5. 4 pounds mussels, scrubbed
  6. 1/2 cup heavy cream
  7. 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
  8. 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
  9. 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
  10. 2 1/2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
  11. Kosher salt
  12. Freshly ground pepper
  13. Grilled bread, for serving
  1. In a large, wide saucepan, combine the wine, water, thyme and garlic and bring to a boil. Add the mussels, cover and cook over moderately high heat, shaking the pot a few times, until the mussels open, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels to a large bowl.
  2. Pour the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a large heatproof measuring cup. Wash the pot and pour in the cooking liquid, leaving behind any grit. Boil the cooking liquid until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add the cream, saffron and citrus zests and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in the butter until melted, then stir in the mussels until heated through. Season with salt and pepper and serve with grilled bread.
Have a great weekend
Jo

12 comments:

  1. Hi Jo - I love mussels ... and often have them in a salad .. as they sell packs of mixed seafoods (mussels, prawns and squid) ... but I do love moules marinieres - sounds a very good recipe .. cheers Hilary

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    1. Hilary -They are delicious aren't they? We used to have moules marinières in Ostend a lot. Delicious. I like the sound of the mixed seafood packs. We can get mussels but living so far from the ocean they cost a bomb.

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  2. I'm not a fan of mussels, but the sauce sounds yummy. :)

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    1. No? I love them and would eat them often if I could. Our favourite Chinese restaurant has them and I usually pick up a few.

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  3. My dad enjoyed mussels but even before my shellfish allergy I didn't try them.

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    1. It's a pity you are allergic to shellfish especially living where you do.

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  4. I adore mussels but have never cooked them myself. I've always enjoyed the ones I've ordered in restaurants except for the last time when there were only four mussels on the plate and no bread served to sop up the sauce. I would imagine they're very healthy as well. I've never cooked with saffron either. Is it as expensive as I've heard?

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    1. I haven't cooked them either but my mother used to and I used to help her clean them. You have to remove what they call "the beard".

      Yes saffron is very expensive Many people use turmeric instead.

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  5. I don't like shellfish which is ironic given that we live in Whitstable, famous for its oysters, and very close to France where of course Moules et Frites (mussels and chips/french fries) is a cheap & cheerful staple meal!

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    1. Sue, Sue, Sue how could you, especially when Whitstable has such wonderful oysters. Something I would never eat until I went to North Carolina. If I ever come to visit please have a couple of dozen waiting for me LOL. Yup, moules et frites. Delicious. Do they still have the frites wagons (or was that in Belgium)?

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  6. I like seafood, but can't say that I've had mussels.

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    1. You don't live close to the sea either and they really are best totally fresh. But if you can get them, they are wonderful to eat.

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