GLUTEN-FREE MUSSELS IN CIDER AND CREAM
One of the first cookbooks I owned, earning a place in my culinary heart, is the large format The Taste of France by Robert Freson, published 1983. Not only is it full of tempting recipes and moody photographs, it also delights with interesting and evocative histories of the cuisines of regional France.
Whenever I want to engage in some armchair travelling to Europe I take out the worn book and am immediately transported. Provence one weekend, Ile de France the next. Recently I found myself turning the pages of Normandy and dreaming of sitting down to a colourful plat de fruits de mer.
While the Normandy section of the cookbook doesn’t have a recipe for mussels, it naturally references the variety of seafood available as well as the superb butter, cream and cider found in the western parts of France.
Inspired, I prepared this mussel dish. It is very simple to make, the quality of the result relying upon the use of the very best produce you can lay your hands on. And aren’t we fortunate in Australia to have such ingredients to indulge our appetites and fantasies?
Caren
MUSSELS IN CIDER AND CREAM
Serves 4 as an entrée
1 kg fresh blue mussels, about 36
25 gm cultured butter
2 golden shallots, very finely diced
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
Freshly ground black pepper
Sea salt to taste
150 ml dry apple cider, at room temperature
150 ml pouring cream, at room temperature
Discard any broken or cracked mussels. Soak the mussels in fresh water for about 10 minutes then drain.
Scrub and remove the beards if required. Rinse. Set aside for 30 minutes in a colander to drain completely. Discard all the liquid.
Place the butter, shallots, half the parsley and pepper in a saucepan large enough to accommodate the mussels and for which you have a lid.
Cook gently for 3-4 minutes, add the cider then stir in the cream. Simmer for another few minutes.
Stir in the mussels, put the lid on the saucepan and cook for 2-3 minutes only.
Using a large slotted spoon, remove the mussels to a warm serving dish. (The top shells can be removed at this stage but it is not necessary.)
Taste the stock as it may need a touch of salt. Increase the heat a little to a vigorous simmer and cook for another few minutes.
Pour the creamy stock over the mussels, scatter over the remaining parsley, grind over some pepper and serve immediately.
TIPS:
We have used Tasmanian Willie Smith’s Bone Dry Cider and also a French cider from Normandy, and both are good. A chilled glass served with the mussels might be appreciated.
Serve with a green leaf salad dressed with apple cider vinaigrette.