Belgian Moules Marinière (Print View)

Fresh mussels gently steamed in aromatic white wine, garlic, and herbs with savory briny notes.

# Components:

→ Seafood

01 - 4.4 lbs fresh live mussels, scrubbed and debearded

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small leek, white part only, finely sliced
05 - 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
06 - 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
07 - 2 sprigs fresh thyme
08 - 1 bay leaf

→ Liquids

09 - 1 1/4 cups dry white wine
10 - 2 tbsp olive oil

→ Seasonings

11 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 - Sea salt, optional
13 - Lemon wedges, to serve

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Rinse and scrub the mussels under cold running water, discarding any that are broken or fail to close when tapped.
02 - Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add shallots, garlic, leek, and celery, sautéing for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
03 - Stir in thyme and bay leaf. Pour in the white wine and bring to a gentle simmer.
04 - Add cleaned mussels to the pot, cover tightly with a lid, and increase heat to high. Steam for 5 to 7 minutes, shaking the pot occasionally, until mussels have opened. Discard any unopened mussels.
05 - Remove from heat. Stir in chopped parsley, season with black pepper, and adjust salt if desired. Serve immediately with ample broth and lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in 25 minutes but tastes like you spent all afternoon in a Belgian bistro.
  • The broth is pure liquid gold—silky, garlicky, and impossible to waste (dip your bread in it).
  • Works for weeknight dinners or impressing guests without any fuss.
02 -
  • Dead mussels before cooking and unopened ones after are not salvageable—discard them without hesitation, no matter how much you paid for them.
  • The mussels' own liquid is precious; never drain it away or your broth becomes just wine and herbs instead of something transcendent.
03 -
  • Buy mussels the morning you plan to cook them and store them in a bowl in the coldest part of your fridge—never in a sealed bag, which makes them suffocate and die before you cook them.
  • If you want a silkier broth, whisk in 2 tablespoons of cold butter at the very end after removing from heat; it'll make the whole thing feel luxurious without tasting heavy.
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