Moules marinières with crusty bread

Serves - 4

You’ll need

• 2kg fresh mussels
• 2 shallots, very finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 25g butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 200ml dry white wine
• 100ml double cream, optional
• Small handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Black pepper
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• Crusty bread, to serve

Method

1. Get the mussels sorted

Give the mussels a good rinse under cold water, scrubbing them if needed and pulling away any beards. Discard any with broken shells, and if any are open, give them a tap – if they do not close, they need to go. You are after mussels that are alive and ready to cook, not ones that have already checked out.

2. Start the base

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan or casserole with a lid over a medium heat. Add the shallots and cook gently for 4–5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, just until fragrant. You want it soft and sweet here, not coloured and pushy.

3. Add the wine

Pour in the white wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes so the raw edge cooks off. This is where the whole thing starts smelling like a very good idea. Add a good grind of black pepper, but hold back on the salt – the mussels will be bringing plenty of their own.

4. Steam the mussels

Tip in the mussels and put the lid on straight away. Cook for 4–5 minutes, giving the pan a shake once or twice, until the shells have opened. They should be just cooked and sitting in plenty of fragrant broth, not left hanging about any longer than necessary.

5. Finish properly

Take the pan off the heat and stir through the cream if using, along with most of the parsley. Give it a gentle stir so everything comes together without knocking the mussels about too much. Discard any mussels that have stayed shut – they have missed their chance.

6. Serve

Ladle the mussels and their broth into warm bowls and scatter over the remaining parsley. Serve straight away with lemon wedges and plenty of crusty bread for mopping up the juices. That last part is not remotely optional.

A couple of helpful notes

- A dry, fresh white wine works best here – something crisp rather than anything oaky or overly grand.
- The cream is optional, but it does give the broth a slightly softer, richer finish if that is what you are after.
- Get the bread to the table while it is still warm if you can. There is broth involved, and broth waits for no one.