Moules Farcies Gratinees - French Mussels W/Green Garlic Butter

"This French classic makes a lovely main dish meal -or- appetizer course! Serve the mussels with recipe #299317 and some French bread for mopping the juices. Great with a crisp, chilled white wine such as Muscadet, Sancerre, or Sauvignon Blanc. Makes 6 servings as an appetizer, or about 3 main dish servings. From Williams-Sonoma. Bon appetit!"
 
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Ready In:
1hr 20mins
Ingredients:
6
Serves:
3-6
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ingredients

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directions

  • In a large bowl, combine 4 cups water with 3 tablespoons salt and stir to dissolve the salt. Add the mussels and let stand for about 1 hour to rid the mussels of any bits of sand, then drain well. Place the mussels in a clean bowl and refrigerate, uncovered, for up to 1 day.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Arrange the mussels in a single layer in a shallow baking pan, discarding any that do not close to the touch, and add the shallots and wine. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake just until the shells open, about 10 minutes. Remove the mussels from the oven and let cool in the pan. Remove the mussels from the wine, discarding any that failed to open, and discard the wine (or strain through a fine-mesh sieve and reserve for adding to a fish soup or stew). Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  • Meanwhile, in a food processor, process the bread pieces until they form coarse crumbs. Measure out 1 cup and set aside; reserve the remainder for another use.
  • Make the green garlic butter, if using. (see recipe #299317,optional).
  • Working with one mussel at a time, pull off and discard the top shell and run a small, sharp knife around the mussel meat to free it from the bottom shell. Lay the mussels, still in their bottom shells, in a single layer in the baking pan. Spoon an equal amount of the green garlic butter (recipe #299317, optional) onto each mussel and sprinkle the crumbs generously on top.
  • Return the mussels to the oven and bake until the tops are sizzling, the butter is melted and fragrant, and the crumbs are crisp, about 8-10 minutes.
  • Transfer to a platter and serve at once, with the lemon wedges on the side.
  • Good with a crisp, chilled white wine such as Muscadet or Sancerre!
  • Note: Makes six servings as an appetizer, or about three main dish servings.

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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

<p>Married to my sweetheart for almost forty years and we have two wonderful children who are grown and have flown the coop. Also, we have been blessed with a wonderful son-in-law and beautiful daughter-in-law, plus FIVE grandchildren: two beautiful granddaughters ages five and eight, and three sweet adorable little grandsons ages 2 months, 2 years and 3 years. My husband and I share a combination of English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Dutch, Swiss, Polish, Austrian, German and French heritage, and our son-in-law and daughter-in-law are both Hispanic. We've traveled extensively to many countries abroad (we lived in Germany), and have traveled and lived in several states here in the U.S.A. Many of the recipes I post here are influenced by our combined heritage or from our travels, or they are old family favorites that I want to share with you. I hope you enjoy! Have been to culinary school with many years of cooking (mostly for my family) under my belt, so know my way around a kitchen. And I'm very lucky to have the best sous chef in the world, dddddh! One of my favorite chefs of all time is Jacques Pepin! I have several of his cookbooks, and enjoy watching his television cooking show Fast Food My Way. Another top favorite is Julia Child (of course!). A few other chefs I read/enjoy watching on t.v. are: Giada At Home, Ina Garten's The Barefoot Contessa, Nigella Lawson's Nigella Bites, and Patti's Mexican Kitchen, and many more. On my bucket list is dining at Thomas Keller's establishment The French Laundry in Napa Valley, California... as well as Alice Waters' Chez Panisse in Berkeley, and the James Beard award winning Tartine Bakery and Cafe in San Francisco. One day!! &nbsp; Hobbies/Interests: Decorating with fresh flowers and herbs from the garden is my passion, and brings me deep joy! It's really hard to beat!! I love connecting with others who enjoy the same. Gardening, decorating, sewing, music, dancing, film, and reading are also up there. Spending quality time with my grandchildren, family, and friends (and cooking holiday meals!). Currently, a newfound passion has been so richly rewarding for me: genealogical research. I heart ancestry dot com. And last but certainly not least, I absolutely LOVE cats--we have two half-Siamese fur babies (cats) that allow us to live here!!&nbsp; &nbsp; A Note of Thanks~ I try to personally thank everyone who kindly makes and reviews my recipes, but sometimes I am busy, late, or may forget. Please know that I am always humbled that you would try one of my recipes, and I enjoy reading the reviews and seeing all the pretty photographs. Thanks so much!&nbsp;</p>
 
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