Let’s Dive Into This Recipe For Mussels In White Wine Sauce
Mussels in wine sauce is a classic and timeless dish of French cuisine. The term moules marinières means “in the fisherman’s style,” and refers to a preparation using the seawater that the mussels swim in. This traditional recipe calls for butter, shallots, white wine, and parsley (we use garlic for good measure and extra flavor). In Belgium and Northern France, this dish is commonly served with fries. And now we’re to the important part–THE WINE! What is the best white wine to cook mussels in? A dry white wine is the ideal wine for making the best recipe for mussels in white wine sauce, such as a Sauvignon Blanc, which also happens to be one of our favorites for drinking after we’ve measured out a cup and a half for cooking!
Do You Need To Prep Mussels Before Cooking?
You brought a bag of mussels home from the grocery store and now you’re wondering how do you prepare mussels before cooking? You’ll be surprised how easy it is to clean mussels, because most of the mussels we buy at the grocery store are already nearly ready to eat. It’s still a good idea to tip the mussels into a colander in the kitchen sink, and rinse under cold water. You’ll use your eyes and fingers at this point to rinse off any debris that might remain. That’s it! A quick note on beards and open mussels: it’s unlikely that you’ll come across many mussels that still have the beard, the membrane that mussels use to attach to surfaces. If you do, grab it between thumb and forefinger and pull to detach it from the shell. Open mussels, or “gapers”, might indicate that the mussel is dead and you don’t want to eat it! When you come across the slightly open shells, you can check by gently squeezing it or tapping it to see if it moves (this will be ever so subtle–when in doubt, just toss it!).
How To Cook Mussels In White Wine Sauce
After you’ve picked over and cleaned the mussels, you’re ready to make the best mussels in white wine sauce. Let’s go!
Melt butter over medium heat in a big pot. Add shallots and garlic and cook until soft and fragrant–your kitchen will smell divine.
Add mussels and wine, and simmer until the mussels open, about five minutes.
Remove mussels with a slotted spoon–now’s the time to toss any that didn’t open–and transfer to a large bowl.
To enrich the broth, you’ll cook the wine to reduce it (about five more minutes). Then, stir in the lemon juice and tip in the fresh chopped parsley.
To serve, ladle wine sauce over the prepared mussels. Do you know what goes well with mussels? Bread. We recommend serving as much as possible so you can get every last drop of marinière sauce.
Tools You’ll Need
A colander
A sharp knife for cutting shallots, garlic, and parsley
Love A Good One Pot + Loaf Of Bread Meal?
Oui!! We love when dinner comes together in one big pot, and even better when the best side is a loaf of crusty bread! Here’s some more classic French-style soups:
Grab Your Stripe Shirt and A Stock Pot!
Did you make a big pot of mussels in white wine sauce? We’d love to see it! Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Bon Appétit!”
