Poached Mussels For Two Food

STEAMED MUSSELS WITH WHITE WINE BROTH

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large pot with a lid over medium heat. When the butter begins to bubble, stir in the shallot and garlic. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the chicken stock, white wine, and mussels then give them a good toss. Cover the pot with its lid and cook until all the mussels have opened; 6 to 10 minutes. If any mussels do not open, discard them.
• Remove the pot from the heat, then stir in the cream and parsley. Taste the broth, and then adjust to taste with salt, pepper, or more cream.
• Serve in big bowls with lemon wedges and plenty of warmed bread to sop up the broth.

MUSSELS WITH GARLIC BUTTER

Steps:

• Place mussels in heavy large Dutch oven, cover and cook over high heat until mussels open, shaking pan occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain mussels, reserving liquid. Transfer mussels to bowl; discard any that do not open. Tent bowl with foil.
• Melt butter in same Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons parsley, lemon juice, lemon peel and reserved liquid from mussels and bring to boil. Season to taste with pepper. Drizzle garlic butter over mussels. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon parsley.

COLD POACHED MUSSELS WITH CREAMY MUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a medium high-sided saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic, and cook, stirring, until shallots are translucent and garlic is very fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Add the salt and pepper. Add mussels and wine. Cover saucepan, and cook until mussels open and are cooked through, about 8 minutes. Discard any mussels that have not opened.
• Remove mussels from saucepan. Transfer cooking liquid to a small bowl, and set aside to cool. When cool, transfer to refrigerator to chill.
• Remove mussels from shells, reserving shells for serving, if desired. Place mussels in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and transfer to refrigerator.
• Whisk together creme fraiche, mustard, and champagne vinegar. Stir cooking liquid, and add about 4 tablespoons reserved cooking liquid and shallots to the creme fraiche mixture to make a nice thin sauce with just enough body to cling to mussels. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and more mustard if desired. Stir in half the lemon zest and chervil.
• Gently toss cold mussels in mustard sauce. Spoon a mussel and a large puddle of sauce back into reserved mussel shells. Sprinkle mussels with remaining half of zest and chervil, and serve with any remaining sauce on the side.

MUSSELS WITH TOMATOES, HERBS AND GARLIC (MOULES PROVENçALE)

Steps:

• To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onions, celery, garlic, basil and bouquet garni, and cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until softened but not browned.
• Mix in the tomato paste and tomatoes, salt, pepper, and sugar, and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
• Put the mussels in a casserole dish with the wine, over high heat, and bring to a boil. Cook for a few minutes only, until the mussels have opened, stirring frequently to ensure they are evenly cooked.
• Pour off the cooking liquid, discard any mussels that have not opened, and return the opened mussels, in their shells, to the casserole dish.
• Pour the hot tomato sauce over the mussels and heat through. Sprinkle with chopped basil and serve at once.

POACHED MUSSELS FOR TWO

Steps:

• Scrub mussels with a brush under cool running water, and remove beards. Discard any opened or cracked mussels. They are dead.
• Bring broth and red wine vinegar to a boil in a large pan with a lid. Add mussels and reduce heat. Simmer 8-10 minutes or until shells open, shaking the pan occasionally. Transfer mussels to a dish.
• Add the remaining ingredients, except butter, to the broth in the pan. Cook over high heat until the until the liquid is reduced by about half.
• Remove from heat. Whisk in butter until melted. Pour sauce over mussels.

POACHED SALMON FOR TWO

Steps:

• Cut salmon into individual portions. Place in a large skillet, the carrot, onion, celery, lemon slices, parsley and bay leaves.
• Add fish, cold water to cover, salt, wine and lemon juice.
• Bring water to a boil, uncovered.
• Lower heat to a simmer and let fish cook for 5 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and leave fish undisturbed for 10 minutes. Then remove carefully to a serving platter.
• Th salmon will be perfectly done. Serve it hot or cold.