Mussels with White Wine and Curry Red Pepper (French Mouclade Saintongeaise)

The mouclade, a great classic, is an institution in Charente-Maritime. Its origin is a little unclear. It is served with a little sea breeze that combines the exoticism of curry with bouchot mussels.

"Fishing for mussels or mussels", as they were once called on the coasts of Saintonge, where the mouclade was born. It has gained a foothold in Charente-Maritime for many decades? Prepared with white wine, cognac or pineau, the mouclade is spiced up with saffron or curry. When La Rochelle was one of the main ports to trade with the Orient, ships came back loaded with spices. Since then, the Charentaise recipe has emancipated itself by traveling along the Breton or Mediterranean coasts.

Mouclade is another way to enjoy mussels, and it's a very easy recipe to make. It is a clever mix of spices and aromatics that makes this dish with light cream so successful. If you are looking for something absolutely delicious for a slightly refined starter, but not too complicated, the Monclade Saintongeaise is what you need. It is prepared with bouchot mussels, shallots, Charente butter, egg yolks, Pineau de Charentes or dry white wine (see Cognac depending on the recipes), garlic, 1 bouquet garni and fresh cream.

fresh Bouchot mussels (2 kg)
3 shallots
1 clove garlic
1 bouquet garni
dry white wine (20 cL)
cognac (20 cL)
butter (20 g)
black pepper, freshly ground

Sauce:
crème fraîche, heavy cream or sour cream (20 cL)
2 egg yolks
½ lemon
1 Tbsp. Nabab Massala Indian curry
1 Tbsp. court bouillon with seaweed
2 Tbsp. powdered cocoa butter

To Serve:
1 pinch red kampot pepper

Clean the molds thoroughly. Peel the shallots and garlic before slicing them finely. Place the butter in a large Dutch oven to melt. Throw in the shallots and minced garlic, then fry them for a few moments without letting them colour. Add the mussels, the bouquet garni, the pepper. Wet with white wine and cognac. Cover. As soon as the mussels open, remove them and remove every second shell. Reserve the mussels neatly in a deep dish covered with foil.

For the Sauce:
Filter the juice, pour it back into the casserole dish. Reduce slightly. Whip the cream with the egg yolks, the juice of half a lemon and the curry. Pour everything into the reduced juice without stopping whipping. Continue cooking until a bond is obtained. The sauce should no longer boil. Adjust the sauce if necessary, coat the mussels. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.