Moules à la Marinière

Ingredients :

• 60g butter, softened
• 6 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 bouquet garni
• 2 cups dry white wine
• salt and pepper
• 2kg mussels, scrubbed clean
• ¼ cup plain flour
• chopped parsley, to garnish

Preparation and Cooking Instructions

1. Melt half the butter in a pan, add shallots and fry gently until golden. Add bouquet garni, wine, and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Bring to the boil, add the mussels, cover and simmer for about 5 minutes until the shells open; discard any that do not. Remove the mussels from the pan with a draining spoon and pile into a warmed serving dish. Keep hot.
3. Bring the sauce to the boil and boil until reduced by half. Remove the bouquet garni.
4. Blend the remaining butter with the flour, divide into small pieces and gradually add to the stock, stirring until dissolved. Bring to the boil, stirring, then simmer for 2 minutes. Pour over the mussels and sprinkle with parsley.
5. Cooks notes : A bouquet garni is a small bunch of mixed herbs, tied together with thread. It is used to flavor dishes during cooking and extracted afterwards. a bouquet garni normally consists of a bay leaf, 2 or 3 sprigs of parsley and a thyme sprig.