Mussels drowning in beer and herbs.
INGREDIENTS
2 lb mussels
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
8 oz Belgian beer (we used Stella Artois)
1 Tbsp fresh chervil, finely chopped
2 Tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
¼ cup Madeira wine
Brioche bread, for dipping
TIP
To sop up your broth, you can also use Skillet Flatbread (page 18) for dipping, a modernized version of ship cakes (you really don’t want the original recipe).
DIRECTIONS
Rinse and stir mussels under cold, running, fresh water. For any mussels that do not close after rinsing, tap their shells or lightly squeeze them while running under the water again. For any mussel that still does not close, throw it away—this is a sign that it is not safe to eat.
Melt 2 Tbsp unsalted butter in a deep pan, on medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add shallots, and cook until translucent. Watch the shallots to ensure they do not burn.
Add the mussels, and then pour beer over the mussels. Stir to coat and cover with a lid. Turn the heat up to medium-high for 5–7 minutes. Shake the pan periodically to move the mussels around instead of opening the lid and releasing the steam. When the mussels are open, you are ready to proceed.
Remove the lid, and lower the heat to medium. Add the remaining 4 Tbsp butter and herbs. Stir to ensure that all the mussels have been coated with butter and herbs. Remove the mussels with a slotted spoon and place in a deep bowl. Lightly tent with aluminum foil. Keep the juices in the pan.
Turn the heat up to medium-high. Add the Madeira wine. Stir and cook the sauce down for 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Remove the aluminum foil from the mussels. Pour the sauce from the pan over the mussels.
Toast slices of brioche and cut into triangles. Arrange the triangles around the mussel bowl for proper dipping.
