Mussels Mariniere (aka Moules Mariniere) is a fast and easy classic French dish that is a great way to enjoy fresh mussels without overpowering their sweet, nuanced flavor.

Mussels Mariniere
Makes two entrée portions or four-five appetizer portions
Recipe courtesy of MarxFoods.com.
 
Ingredients:

• 2lbs of live Mediterranean mussels
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4th large yellow onion or ½ of a small onion
• 1/4th - ½ cup fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 cup white wine (we used a pinot grigio)
• Salt
• Freshly ground Tellicherry peppercorns
• Crusty French bread

Directions

1. Remove the "beards" from the mussels.  Do not do this far in advance, as they will begin to die soon after these are removed.  For this reason do not buy your mussels with the beards pre-removed in order to keep them fresh.  Scrub the mussel shells thoroughly with a wire brush.
2. Finely dice the garlic cloves and the onion.  Slice the French bread at an angle into large pieces.  Chop or snip the parsley.  How finely the parsley is cut depends upon how crisp or rustic you want your final presentation to be.
3. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and sweat the garlic and onion until they are translucent and aromatic.
4. Pull the leaves off of the thyme sprigs and add to the pot along with the white wine and mussels.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bring the white wine to a simmer
5. Cover the Dutch oven, reduce the heat to low and cook for a 3-4 minutes until most of the mussels are open.  Toast the French bread if desired.
6. Remove the pot from the stove, and move the mussels to serving bowls (any unopened mussels need to be thrown out).  Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the pot along with the parsley.  Swirl the hot liquid to melt the butter into the sauce.  Taste the sauce and add more salt, butter, or pepper if needed.  Pour the sauce over the mussels in their bowls and serve with the French bread on the side.

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