Moules Marinière with Shallots, White Wine and Crusty Bread

Steps

1. Step 1

   Put the mussels in a bowl or colander in the sink. Scrub the shells under cold running water and pull off any stringy "beards" sticking out of the shells. Discard any mussel with a cracked shell, and any open one that doesn't close when you tap it firmly on the counter. Keep them cold until you cook.

   12 min

   • 4 lb mussels
2. Step 2

   Melt 2 tbsp of the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until soft and fragrant but not browned, about 3 minutes.

   3 min

   • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
   • 3 shallots
   • 3 cloves garlic
   • salt
3. Step 3

   Pour in the wine, add the bay leaf, and bring to a brisk simmer. Let it bubble for 2 minutes to cook off the raw edge of the wine.

   2 min

   • 1 1/2 cups dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc or Muscadet)
   • 1 bay leaf
4. Step 4

   Add all the mussels, turn the heat to high and cover the pot. Steam, shaking the pot once or twice, until the shells open wide, 5 to 7 minutes. Discard any mussels that stay shut.

   7 min

   • 4 lb mussels
5. Step 5

   Lift the mussels into a warm serving bowl with a slotted spoon. Fish out the bay leaf, then add the remaining 2 tbsp butter and most of the parsley to the broth and swirl until the butter melts. Season with black pepper and salt only if needed (mussels are salty on their own).

   2 min

   • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
   • 1 bay leaf
   • 1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley
   • black pepper
   • salt
6. Step 6

   Pour the broth over the mussels, leaving behind any grit in the bottom of the pot. Scatter with the rest of the parsley and serve right away with thick slices of crusty bread and lemon wedges.

   • 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley
   • 1 crusty baguette
   • 1 lemon

Where it’s from

Written by AI from an idea

Version 1, saved Oct 4, 2026