Mussels Mariniere

Moules mariniere is French bistro cooking at its most elegant and simple. Mussels steam open in white wine with chopped onion, celery, and garlic, and that’s it. The mussels release their briny liquor into the wine as they cook, creating a fragrant broth that’s worth soaking up with crusty bread.

The recipe calls for New Zealand green-lipped mussels, which are larger and meatier than the common blue mussel, but either variety works well. The important thing is that they’re fresh and alive before cooking. Discard any that are cracked or won’t close when tapped.

Bearding the mussels before cooking is a must. That’s the fibrous thread poking out of the shell. Pull it firmly toward the hinge of the shell to remove it.

Chef Tips

• Scrub the shells under cold running water and debeard them right before cooking. Mussels die quickly once debearded, so don’t do this step hours ahead.
• Discard any mussels that don’t open after 4-5 minutes of steaming. Unopened mussels are dead and should not be eaten.
• Use a dry white wine you’d actually drink. The broth is essentially wine and mussel liquor, so cheap, harsh wine makes a harsh broth.
• Serve immediately in wide bowls with the broth ladled over, and plenty of bread for dipping.

Variations

• Stir in a tablespoon of butter and a handful of chopped parsley at the end for a richer, more classic finish.
• Add diced tomato and a pinch of saffron to the wine for a Provencal-style preparation.
• Swap white wine for Belgian beer and add a splash of cream for moules-frites style.