A Misty Morning and Moules

It was very misty this morning.  It was an inspiring dawn but we ended up having an inch of rain in an hour in the afternoon.  It was almost tropical.  Weird.

I found some beautiful Tasmanian mussels today in the local fish shop.  Packaged mussels can be a bit hit and miss but these were an exception.  Moules Mariniere is the very French way of cooking mussels and requires practically no effort.  In France it is often served with pommes frites and a baguette to mop up the juices.  If you eliminate the chips and bread it is a very low fat dinner.

Moules

2kgs mussels (this should serve 3-4)

A good slosh of olive oil

1 tblsp butter

2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

300ml white wine

Lots of fresh parsley

Wash the mussels and pull out any beards.  Chuck away any with cracked or split shells.  The chooks love them.

Put a large pan on the heat and add the oil and butter.  When the butter is melted add the shallots and garlic for a few minutes until soft.  Add the wine and bubble for a couple of minutes before adding the mussels.  Put the lid on and cook for about 3 minutes.   Check to see if all the mussels have opened, if not give them a couple more minutes.

Divide mussels between some huge bowls and pour the juices over the top.  Sprinkle with parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.  Serve with a crisp white wine, large napkins and some bread to mop up.  Discard any that haven't opened.