Mussels in Cream

Moules marinière is a hearty, Belgian dish made from fresh mussels cooked in white wine, butter, garlic, and herbs.

This absolutely delicious starter course works well on the grill, too. I’ve added heavy
whipping cream to my variation, so we’ll call the dish moules crème instead.

Cook the mussels in a cast iron pot that has warmed up on the grill while the coals were
being lit.

Moules Crème
• 1 mesh bag of fresh mussels weighing about 2.2 lb (1 kg)
• 1 shallot
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 oz. (50 g) butter
• ⅔ cup (150 ml) dry white wine
• 6¾ fl. oz. (200 ml) heavy whipping cream
• ¼ cup (50 ml) finely chopped thyme
• ¼ cup (50 ml) finely chopped chives
• ¼ cup (50 ml) finely chopped parsley
• about 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Scrub the mussels thoroughly with a bristle brush. Discard any mussels with broken shells.

Some mussels might be slightly ajar but will close if you press the shells together. If they
don’t close, discard them as well, as you don’t want to run the risk of having a bad mussel
in the pot.

Chop the shallot and garlic finely. Brown the butter lightly in the cast iron pot, without
browning it too much. Add the shallot and garlic, and sauté for a few minutes until they’re
translucent but not browned. Pour in the wine, bring to a boil, and add the mussels. Cover
with a lid and bring to a rapid boil for about 5 minutes, until all the mussels have opened.

Fish out the mussels with a slotted spoon, and place them in a stainless steel bowl, keeping
them warm on indirect heat next to the embers. Discard any mussels that did not open.

Pour the cream into the pot, bring it to a boil, and let simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the
chopped herbs, salt, and pepper, taste, and season with more salt if needed. Serve the broth in bowls with the mussels placed around the edge. Garnish with a few sprigs of fresh herbs.

If you don’t have a cast iron pot, you can also make the broth in a saucepan on the
stovetop. Heat the broth later in small bowls made from folded foil, one per guest. Place 3
sheets of foil one on top of the other, and crush the edges together to mold into the shape
of a pot. Place it on the grill’s grate nearest the embers, then fill it with a ladle of broth and
add in the cooked mussels to be heated.

This dish is also excellent served as entrée. Simply double the recipe and use two bags of
mussels instead of one.

If you prepare the dish in the paleo style without cream, it will be even more delicious if
served with an aioli.

Article Source: Low Carb High Fat Barbecue by Birgitta Hoglund