Tinned Moules Frites
A marvelous marriage of plump mussels in flavorful broth and hot, crisp potatoes, Moules Frites is a dish that even self-proclaimed seafood haters make exception for. Traditionally, it’s made with fresh mussels steamed in lemon, butter, garlic, and white wine, accompanied by piping hot French fries. Variations on the broth are very common, and when @chefcharlottelangley sent me some of her @scoutcanning PEI Mussels in Smoked Paprika & Fennel Tomato to try, I just knew these molluscious morsels and their accompanying sauce would make for one magnificent Moules Frites.
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For the broth, I added butter-simmered shallot, clam juice, and lemon to the sauce and topped it off with fresh chives and a generous drizzle of heavy cream. For the “fries,” I sent some boiled, smashed, mini potatoes for a ride at 450°, tossed them with EVOO, garlic, lemon zest, and parsley and called it a century. For a dairy-free version, shrimply lose the cream :)
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• 1x tin @scoutcanning’s mussels
• ½ cup clam juice
• ½ lb mini or fingerling potatoes
• 2 tbs EVOO plus more for plating
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• ½ small shallot, minced
• 1 tbs butter
• 1 tsp chives, minced
• 1 tbs parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• zest of ½ lemon
• 1 tsp heavy cream for plating
• 1 tsp kosher salt + more to taste
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. When oven is preheating, drain the tin of mussels and keep the sauce to the side. Add the potatoes to a sauce pan and fill with just enough water to cover them along with 1 tsp. Boil, covered, until the spuds are soft enough to be pierced with a fork with medium pressure, about 10-15 min. Drain.
2. Drizzle 1 tbs EVOO on a sheet pan and add the potatoes. Using a flat-bottomed cup, gently smush the potatoes, one by one, to about 1cm thickness. Drizzle with remaining oil and rain with a pinch of salt.
3. Bake the potatoes for 30-35 minutes until the bottom sides are a deep golden brown. Flip, season second side with salt and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the second side is gold-brown.
4. Meanwhile, add the butter to a small saucepan over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the shallot and simmer until softened and translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the clam juice and lemon juice and whisk to incorporate the butter. Once hot, add the sauce from the mussel tin, whisking until well incorporated. Once hot, remove from heat, cover and set aside.
5. Add the crispy potatoes to a small mixing bowl and toss with garlic, lemon zest, and parsley. Put the mussels into a small bowl or cup, pour in the broth, and top with a drizzle of heavy cream, and finally the chives.
6. Place the bowl and the potatoes on a serving board. Serve immediately.
Canjoy!
Serves 1-2
