Maison Ardoise · Main dishes

Mussels in White Wine, Garlic & Crème Fraîche with Grilled Baguette

Name: Mussels in White Wine, Garlic & Crème Fraîche with Grilled Baguette
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2000 g Fresh live mussels; 30 g Unsalted butter; 2 whole Shallots; 4 clove Garlic; 3 sprig Fresh thyme; 250 ml Dry white wine; 100 ml Crème fraîche; 20 g Fresh flat-leaf parsley; 1 whole Lemon; 0.5 tsp Black pepper; 1 whole Baguette; 2 tbsp Olive oil

A big steaming pot of mussels opened in white wine with shallot, garlic and thyme, the broth enriched with crème fraîche and parsley, served with charred baguette for dunking. Fast, generous and very bistro.

35 minutes · Easy · 4 servings

Original house recipe · Not yet kitchen-tested

Ingredients

Fresh live mussels2000 g
Unsalted butter30 g
Shallots2 whole
Garlic4 clove
Fresh thyme3 sprig
Dry white wine250 ml
Crème fraîche100 ml
Fresh flat-leaf parsley20 g
Lemon1 whole
Black pepper0.5 tsp
Baguette1 whole
Olive oil2 tbsp

Quantities describe recipe usage, not package sizes.

Allergen notes

Molluscs (mussels), wheat (baguette), milk (butter, crème fraîche) and sulphites (wine).

Method

Check and clean the mussels

Rinse the mussels in a colander under cold water and pull off any stringy beards. Throw away any with cracked shells and any open ones that do not close within a minute when tapped firmly on the counter; they are dead and not safe to eat. Keep the mussels cold until cooking.

Grill the bread

Slice the baguette on an angle, brush with olive oil and toast in a hot griddle pan or under the broiler for 1–2 minutes per side, until charred at the edges.

Build the broth

Melt the butter in a large, wide pot with a tight lid over medium heat. Add the finely chopped shallots and cook for 3 minutes, until soft. Add the sliced garlic and thyme for 1 minute, then pour in the wine and bring to a rolling boil.

Steam until open

Tip in the mussels, cover tightly and cook over high heat for 4–6 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice, until the shells have opened wide and the meat is plump and opaque. Throw away any that stay closed.

Finish and serve

Lift the mussels into warm deep bowls with a slotted spoon. Whisk the crème fraîche, pepper and most of the chopped parsley into the broth, bring to a bubble and pour over the mussels. Finish with the remaining parsley, lemon wedges and the grilled bread, with an empty bowl for shells.

Buy mussels the day you cook them and store them in a bowl in the fridge covered with a damp cloth, never in water or a sealed bag. Plan about 500 g per person for a main course.

AI-generated food image. Presentation is illustrative. This menu belongs to an imagined restaurant.