Mussels with White Wine and Crème Fraîche (French Mouclade Charentaise)

The mouclade (The word mouclade comes from the saintongeais moucle, which means "mussel".) is a dish made from mussels. If its origin is Saintongeaise (with bouchot mussels), other regions, on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of France, have taken or modified the original recipe: we also speak of mouclade Breton or Sétoise. Charentaise mouclade, or Saintongeaise, is prepared with bouchot mussels, shallots, Charentes butter, egg yolks, Pineau des Charentes (or dry white Charentais wine or cognac depending on the recipes), garlic, a bouquet garni and crème fraîche. Saffron is added to the Saintongeaise mouclade and curry to the Fourasine mouclade.

bouchot mussels (3 L)
4 shallots
butter (40 g)
all-purpose flour, unbleached (20 g)
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 bouquet garni
dry white wine (15 cL)
4 Tbsp. crème fraîche or heavy cream
1 pinch curry
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground

Wash and scrape the mussels. Put them in a Dutch oven with the white wine, the peeled and crushed garlic clove, the bouquet garni. Cover and open over high heat.

Let cool a little, then remove a shell from each mold. Place the shells containing the mussels in a large baking dish, or directly in the drip pan. Place them well between them on a bed of coarse salt, or crumpled aluminum foil.

Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C/130°C fan, Gas Mark 2).

Filter the cooking juices and set aside. Peel and chop the shallots.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Put the shallots to brown gently, then throw in the flour, whisk and gradually pour in the cooking juices from the mussels. Stir the sauce over low heat until it coats the whisk. Add the cream and the curry, salt and pepper, stir again.

Distribute the sauce over the mussels (do not add too much, serve the rest in a gravy boat), heat 10 minutes in the oven. Serve very hot with crusty bread.

Makes 6 servings.