making some mediterranean mussels

[hollis]

i think i'll be browning some butter, sweating some garlic and shallots, adding the mussels and squeezing a little lemon on em. than i'll put em in the oven .

two questions.

1. what temperature should i set the oven?

2. what side dish seems appropriate?

thanks in advance.

hollis brown

[carswell]

Hottish, say 425-450ºF. Most recipes call for cooking them on the stovetop, however, since you want to remove them from the heat as soon as all the shells have opened, and that's hard to check in the oven.

A side isn't really necessary or desirable, since you're going to be busy fishing the mussels out of their shells, a somewhat messy, two-handed operation. That said, many Belgians would serve french fries with garlic mayo for dipping the fries in. Also, you'll want to have plenty of bread around to sop up the juices at the bottom of the bowl. A salad, either before or after, is nice.

Edited August 4, 2004 by carswell (log)

[chefdg]

Yeah, don't put them in the oven. They will be done in five minutes of simmering, or there about's.

Fries are a classic bistro side, but for your mediterranean mussels you could go with a nice creamy polenta or some grilled tomatoes. Crusty bread is a must, just don't over-cook the mussels.

[Busboy]

pureed fava beens topped with large capers, chopped red onion, lemon juice and olive oil. Fry up some shallot crisps if you're in the mood, and throw them on.

Tomatoe and feta with herbs (your choice, but thyme and oregeno would be nice), lemon or vinager, and olive oil

Actually, I've been in Athens for four days and the the preferred side dish to any fish -- shellfish or otherwise -- seems to be more shellfish.

[fierydrunk]

Hollis--please follow the side ideas of Busboy...since I will be whom you are cooking for!

[msphoebe]

I always steam mussels stovetop with parsley, butter, garlic, white wine. They are done in no time and so delish.

For a side, busboy is right on...but an orzo pilaf might go well. Absolutely, don't forget the rustic bread to sop the juice!

[artisanbaker]

ok

so i just made this on sunday night. i sweated one finely diced onion in butter until translucent. added a couple cloves of pressed garlic. one minute of sweating. a tablespoon of flour, half a bay leaf and then 1 1/2 cups of cheap rhine wine. make sure to stir in the flour to avoid lumps, then add wine. boil this for 2-5 minutes and add a pinch of chopped parsley. add 1kg mussels and cover to steam until opened, about 4-5 minutes.

don't forget the bread as mentioned above, for the sauce makes the dish. it would be a shame to toss ANY sauce...

regards

Edited August 5, 2004 by artisanbaker (log)

[carswell]

Variations on a theme. Here's standard procedure for moules marinière in our house: Put some minced shallots or onion, a half stalk's worth of minced celery if available, 1 kg scrubbed mussels, 1 cup dry white wine (usually Muscadet or a locally produced seyval but sometimes an inexpensive Alsace riesling or gewurz) and a teaspoon or two of fresh thyme leaves in a pot. Bring to a boil over over high heat. Cover and cook until the shells have opened. Remove from heat and season with freshly ground pepper and a couple of tablespoons of chopped flat-leaf parsley. You can be feasting 20 minutes after you start cooking. Too bad wild mussels have all but disappeared from the market...

[fierydrunk]

It was delicious! The bread-soaked-in-sauce was a neccessity too. And we made a great caesar salad suggested on another thread...GREAT DINNER, Hollis! Thanks everyone for the tips, keep em coming!