Magnificent Mussels

One of my favorites of the dishes I made this summer was Mussels Marseillaise. I found this particular recipe in the July 2009 issue of Gourmet Magazine and it’s so easy, quick, and delicious that I had to make it two more times. The recipe is below along with the magazine’s description. I thought it made the dish sound so tasty that I have to include it.

MUSSELS MARSEILLAISE

“A bowl of mussels in a winey, briny broth takes you straight to a waterfront café in the Vieux Port of Marseille. Here, fennel makes for an intensifying addition while Pernod and fresh basil impart an aromatic quality without being overpowering.”

1 medium tomato

4 shallots, minced

4 garlic cloves, minced (I usually double my garlic though, so I used 8)

½ fennel bulb, trimmed, stalks discarded, finely chopped

1½ tsp thyme leaves, chopped

¼ tsp hot red pepper flakes

6 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

¾ cup dry white wine

3 Tbsp Pernod

2 lb cultivated mussels, scrubbed

¼ cup chopped basil

When I cook, I like to do all of my prep work at once and then keep the ingredients in separate bowls that I group together according to when they come in. For example, the first part I did was peel and cut the tomato and put it in a bowl with the ½ tsp of black since those two ingredients come in at the same time. An easy way to peel a tomato is to cut a shallow X in the bottom of the tomato and then boil it in water for about 10 seconds or until the skin looks loose. Then, wait for it to cool/transfer to an ice bath and the skin should come right off. I also combined the white wine and Pernod.





Next, I chopped the shallots, garlic, and fennel. I kept these with the thyme and red pepper flakes because those ingredients go in with the shallots, garlic, and fennel. Finally, I chopped the basil and the prep work was done.







To start, I added the oil to a 6 quart pot and threw in the two bowls that contained the shallots, garlic, fennel, thyme, and red pepper flakes. After about 7 minutes, the vegetables softened, so I added the measuring cup and other bowl which contained the white wine, Pernod, tomato, and black pepper. The smell that wafted from the pot was almost complete now. At this point, the smell from the Pernod and fennel overpowers everything. Pernod is a green anise liquer that smells and looks similar to absinthe. The combination of it with the licorice of fennel is what really distinguishes this dish. I let the sauce simmer for 4 minutes to reduce the sauce and intensify its flavor.







Now I could add the mussels. They cook very quickly and all were open in 2-3 minutes, which means that they are done. I stirred in the basil after they were cooked and the briny mussel flavor and refreshing basil tones infused the dish.



One of the reasons why this recipe is so amazing is that it really tastes like the description. It is a very well balanced dish and all of the flavors come out fully. Not only that, but it really conveys a sense of imagery. When you taste it, you can imagine eating a huge bowl of them with another bowl on the side for shells in a French bistro by the waterfront. The fennel and Pernod work together on one side, while the basil, tomato, thyme, and wine come through on the other. Topping it off, the red pepper adds a bit of spice, while the shallots come in with some caramelized sweetness to complete the flavor. This dish is quick, easy, delicious and extremely cheap. The standard price for mussels is $3/lb everywhere. So, even if you want to make four pounds, all the other ingredients are also cheap, making the whole meal come out to $15. Based on value, taste, low difficulty, health, and speed at which it cooks, this quickly became my favorite summer dish. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!



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