Moules Frites (Mussels and Fries)
Mussels steamed in white wine, garlic, shallots, butter and parsley, served with crisp fries and mayonnaise for dipping. The Belgian and French bistro classic. Serves 4.
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Moules frites is the national dish of Belgium and a staple of French bistros: a big pot of mussels steamed in wine and butter, with a cone of fries on the side for dipping into the broth.
Mussels cook in about 5 minutes, so have the fries ready first (see our Steak Frites recipe for the twice-fried method).
Ingredients
- 4 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- Black pepper
- French fries and mayonnaise, for serving
- Crusty bread
Instructions
- Check the mussels. Discard any mussels with cracked shells or that stay open when tapped.
- Soften the aromatics. Melt the butter in a large pot and cook the shallots and garlic 2 minutes.
- Steam. Add the wine, bring to a boil, add the mussels, cover and steam 5 to 7 minutes, shaking the pot, until they open.
- Finish. Discard any that stay closed. Stir in the parsley and pepper.
- Serve. Serve in bowls with the broth, fries, mayonnaise and bread.
Tips
- Most farmed mussels are already clean; just pull off any beards.
- Add a splash of cream to the broth for moules a la creme.
Questions about this recipe
- How do I know mussels are cooked?
- They open wide. Throw away any that stay closed.
- How many mussels per person?
- About 1 pound per person as a main course.
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