Moules Marinières, Simple and Elegant

Jump to Recipe

I'm not sure where I got the notion, as a young man, that making dishes which were elegant was forever out of my capability. I knew that, in time, I'd be able to make nicer dishes, but for some reason, whenever I ate or saw dishes which I deemed as fancy, they were something only people with extraordinary skills were allowed to make. This is to say, I shouldn't be allowed to attempt to even mess with the fancy ingredients, let alone try and cook them. I think honoring ingredients was something I instilled in myself long ago, but it was misplaced, so much so that I only attempted comfort foods or stuff that came in a box with instructions. Fast forward to my mid-twenties when I really stopped to think about things culinarily. It wasn't just because that's when I got serious about cooking and decided to go back to college and enroll in culinary school, but because I was a little less afraid of even trying new things to eat. Seafood was one of those things. And believe it or not, I always thought a dish like mussels in a wine sauce would break the bank and was also something reserved only for anniversary dinners or other special occasions. How wrong I was.

I can't, in my heart, believe I'm the only one intimidated by the unknown. I'm still somewhat like this with my decision-making, but I'm much more inclined, almost required, to try as many different ingredients despite my built-in, unsupported biases. If you've ever seen foie gras and thought, no way! Was it because you think it's too weird, or that it's too expensive, or even that you're not allowed? I've felt that way about what I now consider possible and exciting new meals for my home repertoire for my family.

Image: Recipes Recommended/Lisa Schattenkirk

So, I want to talk about mussels. More specifically, a mussels dish that, once you've made it, you not only won't be scared to ever make it again, but it will encourage you to try new techniques and get out of your self-imposed cooking bubble. I love mussels in restaurants, during happy hour, sharing with my wife, Lisa, but also at home on a Sunday night. You can pick up a netted sack of fresh mussels at most grocery stores and your local fishmonger. If you're in a coastal area of the country, you'll be fortunate to find them really easily. I stopped into a local Asian grocery store the other day and saw these, and I didn't have to think much before buying some for less than $10. Immediately, I ran through the rolodex of recipes I know and also sorted out where I would possibly look for new recipe ideas, including making a hybrid recipe. I landed on Moules Marinières, a classic take on mussels. It's a traditional French dish made with mussels steamed in white wine, butter, and aromatics like shallots and garlic. It's known for its simplicity and is often served with crusty bread to soak up the flavorful broth. I also thought, as I do with all the ingredients I buy, about how I was going to prep the mussels. This is universal, so if you end up making mussels a lot like I now do, this instruction I'm about to give you will serve you well.

I'm not going to sugarcoat it, there are a few crucial steps you must take. Bad seafood is notorious for causing nasty food poisoning. You are definitely going to throw away a few mussels, maybe even half. When buying, make sure the mussels you're picking up are being stored on ice. That's number one. Secondly, take a look, and if you see a lot that are open, even just a little, pick another bag. The open ones are likely dead and should under no circumstances be eaten. When you get home, you should put them in the fridge or on ice, maybe both. Once you're ready to cook, which won't take long since mussels take no time to cook, first wash them under cold water, getting any gunk off them. Remember those open mussels? You can now check to be sure by taking any open mussels and tapping them on the cutting board or counter gently, and if they close, they're A-OK. Next, you're going to see little funny hairy bits hanging out of the shells. This is called the beard. The term "mussel beard" refers to the byssus threads that mussels use to attach themselves to surfaces in their environment. These threads are produced by a gland in the mussel's foot and are made of a protein called byssal threads. The beard serves as an anchor, allowing the mussel to cling to rocks, pilings, and other substrates in the water. In other words, you don't want to eat that part. It's also pretty unattractive. They come off pretty easily by tugging on them, but I usually just snip off stubborn ones with kitchen scissors. Finally, the last step in ensuring you're only eating live mussels is the float test. As the name implies, submerge your shellfish in water, and the floaters are likely dead. Toss them out. Now you're ready to cook!

Try out this recipe!

This meal is so wonderful and makes me think about people in coastal France through the years just casually eating mussels all the time with fabulous wine like it's nothing. That's the attitude I think everyone should have about most food. It shouldn't ever feel intimidating or like something out of reach or not deserved. You can really not only impress yourself by cooking elegant food, but you'll also improve your culinary prowess, allowing you to branch out. Like I said, I know a lot of people have strange hang-ups about food, and I feel really great that my son and daughter will hopefully never feel this way even in the slightest. They're still very young, but they have a great desire to always help Dad in the kitchen. They know it's a huge part of my happiness, and they gravitate towards it. You should, too.