Moules Marinières

Ingredients

• 2 lb mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 shallots, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp butter
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• ¼ cup crème fraîche (optional)
• Crusty baguette, for the broth
• Black pepper

Method

1. Sort the mussels: discard any with cracked shells or any open ones that refuse to close when tapped. They make the rules.
2. Soften the shallots and garlic in 2 tablespoons of butter in your widest lidded pot, 3 minutes.
3. Pour in the wine, bring to a rolling boil, and add the mussels all at once. Clamp on the lid and steam 4–6 minutes, shaking the pot once, until they've all swung open.
4. Scoop the mussels into bowls, discarding any that stayed shut. Swirl the remaining butter, crème fraîche, and parsley into the broth with a grind of pepper.
5. Pour the broth over the mussels and serve with half the baguette for dipping and the other half for backup.