Mussels with White Wine and Sausage (French Mouclade Sétoise)

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.

30 raw mussels
sausage meat (400 g)
tomato paste (300 g)
tomato pulp (150 g)
white wine (100 mL)
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 eggs
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
water (500 mL)
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
drizzle olive oil

Prepare the Stuffing:
Mix the sausage meat, eggs, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.

Brown the onions in a casserole dish or a large sauté pan over medium heat with olive oil and add the tomato paste, tomato pulp and white wine.

Mix and salt. Leave on low heat.

Open the mussels without separating them completely. For this, take the mold in your hand, flat, rounded side away from your thumb.

Insert the blade of the knife into the small slot located at the level of the curved side and gently incise the nerve of the mussel without separating the two shells

Open the mold slightly to stuff it.

Makes 4 servings.