Moules Marinieres (aka Mussels in White Wine Garlic Sauce). Sounds pretty fancy, oui? Well, if there is a meal that was made to impress with a total of about 10-15 minutes of effort, this is it. A perfect dinner for a summer evening when you don’t feel like having the stove or oven on for any significant length of time. I borrowed this recipe from one of my favorite food writers, Ruth Reichl. Her memoirs are incredible (they include recipes!) and her time as a chef, restaurant critic and editor of fabulous publications such as Gourmet (RIP), have made her one of the most famous amongst the current crop of foodies.
Mussels are delicious when they are fresh and not overcooked. I served this dish with a green salad and chunk of crusty french bread to mop up the sauce. If you want more broth, increase the amount of wine and chicken broth slightly. Enjoyable with a glass of crisp white wine.
Moules Marinieres – adapted from Ruth Reichl
Ingredients:
3 quarts clean mussels (5 pounds)
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, diced
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
Sauté onions and garlic in butter until golden. Add wine and bay leaf, cook one minute. Add the mussels, cover and cook over medium heat. Carefully shake pot once or twice until all shells are open (about 5 minutes). Do not overcook. Remove unopened mussels.
Ladle into bowls and serve with bread to soak up the sauce.
For Nana 