Bastille Day 2025

Vive la France and Happy Bastille Day!

What better way to celebrate than with this recipe, inspired by Rick Stein, one of my favourite chefs?

 

Moules marinière with cream, garlic and parsley

Serves four

1.75kg mussels

1 large clove garlic, finely chopped

2 shallots, finely chopped

15g butter

bouquet garni of parsley, thyme and bay leaves

100m dry white wine, sherry or cider

120ml cream

½ tsp chilli flakes, optional

handful of parsley leaves or spring onions, coarsely chopped

crusty bread, to serve

 

Wash the mussels under plenty of cold, running water. Discard any open ones that won't close when lightly squeezed.

Pull out the tough, fibrous beards protruding from between the tightly closed shells and then scrape off any barnacles with a large knife.

Give the mussels another quick rinse to remove any bits of shell.

Heat the butter on low heat, add the garlic, chilli and shallots with the bouquet garni, in a pan or wok, large enough to contain all the mussels.

Do not overcrowd the pan, it should only be half full.

Add the mussels and wine, sherry or cider, turn up the heat, then cover and steam them open in their own juices for 3-4 minutes.

Give the pan a good shake every now and then.

Remove the bouquet garni, add the cream and chopped parsley or spring onions and remove from the heat.

Spoon into four large warmed bowls and serve with lots of crusty bread.

Bon appetit!