Mussels And Fries With Mustard Mayonnaise Food

MOULES FRITES

Steps:

• Tip the mussels into a large bowl of cold water. Discard any that remain open when tapped, then drain well and pull away any 'beards'. (Fresh mussels look black and shiny and should only smell pleasantly of the deep sea - the vast majority should be tightly closed. Avoid any that smell 'fishy', look dry or are mostly open.)
• Thinly slice the vegetables and garlic. Roll the chilli in your hands to loosen the seeds, then slit in half and shake out the seeds. Slice the flesh into thin sticks, then stack together and finely chop. Pick over the thyme sprigs, discarding the thick stalks, and pick the parsley leaves from the stalks. Prepare the chips (see recipe, below right).
• Place a large, heavy-based sauté pan (with a lid) on the hob and heat until you can feel a strong heat rising. Pour in the oil, then immediately toss in all of the vegetables, chilli and thyme. The thyme sprigs will crackle if the pan is hot enough. Cook for about 1½ mins, shaking the pan and stirring the vegetables until they start to wilt.
• With the heat still on high, toss in all the mussels and shake the pan so they form an even layer. Cover with a lid and cook for another 1-2 mins, shaking the pan once or twice.
• Uncover the pan and pour in the wine and Pernod. Shake and cook for another 1½ mins so the wine reduces by half, then cover again and cook for another min. Place a large colander over a bowl and tip the mussels and vegetables into the centre. Discard any mussels that remain closed. Fry the chips.
• Pour the strained liquid back in the pan, reheat and stir in the crème fraîche and whole parsley leaves. Check the seasoning; you may not need any salt. Return the mussels and vegetables to the pan and reheat, shaking the pan, then divide between two large soup bowls. Serve the chips and mayonnaise (recipe below) alongside.
• TIP: Make the mayo and prepare the chips before you start the mussels. Fry the chips after you have cooked the mussels and while they are still draining in the colander, then finish the sauce.

MOULES-FRITES

Steps:

• Rinse the potatoes, peel them and rinse them again. Dry them well in a cloth.
• Cut the potatoes into French fries, regular width and length, about ½ inch (1 cm) thick.
• Dry the potato sticks with a cloth again.
• Melt the beef fat in a deep fryer and then heat it to 280 F (140°C).
• Fill the basket with fries, without packing them too much, then immerse the basket in the oil for 6 minutes of frying.
• Shake the basket a little during cooking to prevent the fries from sticking together. They should be golden and cooked to the core but still be a little soft.
• Drain the fries by shaking them over the fryer, and allow them to cool completely before the second fry.
• After or towards the end of the cooking of the mussels, immerse the fries in the oil heated to 350 F (180°C) for 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the basket regularly so that the cooking is uniform.
• As soon as they are colored, drain them and place them in a bowl covered with paper towel. Season with salt and serve immediately.
• In a large Dutch oven or pot, melt the butter over low heat, add all the minced vegetables and brown for 5 minutes over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally.
• Increase the heat to the maximum, without burning the butter, add the mussels to the pot and add the bay leaf and thyme. Cover immediately.
• After a minute, add the wine, and as soon as it boils again, add black pepper and cover the pot.
• Shake the pot, holding the lid on well to distribute the aromas.
• Continue cooking over high heat and still covered, shaking the pot from time to time.
• Stop cooking when the mussels are open, and serve.

CLASSIC MOULES FRITES

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven or straight-sided 12-inch saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the white wine and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Add the mussels, cover and steam until open, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels to a large serving bowl.
• Add the creme fraiche, parsley, butter, chives and mustard to the remaining cooking liquid and bring just to a boil while stirring to combine. Pour the sauce over the mussels. Serve with French fries.

MUSSELS AND FRIES WITH MUSTARD MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• Cook french fries according to package instructions and keep warm in oven if necessary.
• Meanwhile, cut onion into very thin slices with slicer, then cook with garlic and a pinch of salt in butter in a wide heavy medium pot over medium-high heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until pale golden.
• While onion cooks, whisk together mustard and water until smooth, then whisk in mayonnaise and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Add wine to onion and briskly simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until onion is almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add mussels and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until mussels just open wide, 4 to 6 minutes, checking frequently after 4 minutes and transferring as cooked to a bowl. (Discard any mussels that remain unopened.) Stir parsley into cooking liquid and season with salt. Pour liquid over mussels, then serve with fries and mustard mayonnaise.

MOULES A LA MOUTARDE (MUSSELS IN A MUSTARD CREAM SAUCE)

Steps:

• Place shallots and wine in a large, heavy sauce pan (or cast iron, french oven for larger quanities of mussels) and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Add mussels to pan and steam, covered, for about 3 minutes or until the shells open.
• Remove mussels from the sauce pan, draining liquid back into the pot.
• Discard any mussles that do not open.
• Divide mussels among individual serving bowls and set a side.
• Strain cooking liquid and return to sauce pan.
• Add cream, saffron, salt, pepper and reduce until the sauce just starts to thicken.
• Pour sauce over mussels in the serving bowls and serve.

MUSSELS AND FRIES WITH MUSTARD MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• Cook the fries according to package instructions and keep warm in the oven if necessary.
• Meanwhile, cut the onion into very thin slices with the slicer, then cook with garlic and a pinch of salt in the butter in a wide heavy medium pot over medium-high heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until pale golden.
• While the onion cooks, whisk together the mustard and water until smooth, then whisk in the mayonnaise and about 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Add the wine to the onion and briskly simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the onion is almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add the mussels and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until mussels are just open wide, 4 to 6 minutes, checking frequently after 4 minutes and transferring as cooked to a bowl. (Discard any mussels that remain unopened.)
• Stir the parsley into the cooking liquid and season with salt. Pour liquid over mussels, then serve with fries and mustard mayonnaise.
• COOK'S NOTE
• This RECIPE can be doubled in an 8-quart heavy pot.

SUNNY'S 5-INGREDIENT MUSSELS AND GARLIC-PARSLEY FRIES

Steps:

• For the mussels: In a large pot on medium heat, add the olive oil and chorizo. Break up the chorizo while cooking to create fine crumbles. Season with a nice pinch of salt and ground pepper and cook, stirring, until the bits and pieces are crisp, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Add the wine, bring to a simmer and simmer for a few minutes. Stir in the cream. Immediately add the mussels and cover the pot with a lid. Jiggle the pot a bit to coat with the liquid on the bottom. Steam until most of the mussels are opened, about 5 minutes. Discard ones that do not open in the steaming process.
• For the fries: Fry the shoestring French fries according to the package instructions.
• Add the oil, garlic and a few grinds of pepper to a large bowl. Mix and mash to combine. Add the hot fries to the bowl and toss while sprinkling with the parsley. Serve with mayonnaise for dipping.
• Sprinkle the mussels with the cilantro and serve with the fries.