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Moules-Frites

Name: Moules-Frites
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Belgian
Ingredients: 2000 g live mussels, scrubbed and debearded; 250 ml dry white wine; 50 g butter; 2 shallots, finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, sliced; 2 celery sticks, finely sliced; 20 g flat parsley, chopped; black pepper; 1000 g floury potatoes, cut into thick chips; 1000 ml neutral oil, for frying; salt; 4 tbsp mayonnaise

A kilo of mussels a head, steamed open in white wine, with proper double-fried chips

Ingredients

2000 g live mussels, scrubbed and debearded

250 ml dry white wine

50 g butter

2 shallots, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, sliced

2 celery sticks, finely sliced

20 g flat parsley, chopped

black pepper

1000 g floury potatoes, cut into thick chips

1000 ml neutral oil, for frying

salt

4 tbsp mayonnaise

Method

Sort the mussels first. Tap any that are open - if they do not close, throw them away. Pull off the beards and scrub the shells. Do this within a few hours of eating; they are alive until they go in the pot.

First fry for the chips: 140°C for 6-8 minutes until soft but still pale. Drain and rest at least 10 minutes - this pause is what makes them crisp later.

Soften the aromatics: melt the butter in a pot big enough that the mussels have room to move, and cook the shallot, garlic and celery for 5 minutes without colouring.

Pour in the wine and bring it to a hard boil for a minute to cook off the raw edge.

Tip in the mussels and clamp the lid on. Full heat, 5-6 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice. They are done the moment the shells open - a minute past that and they go rubbery.

Throw away any that stayed shut. Stir the parsley and a heavy grind of pepper through. Do not salt: the mussels bring their own seawater.

Second fry the chips at 190°C for 3-4 minutes until deep gold, drain and salt immediately.

Serve the pot straight to the table, chips and mayonnaise alongside. Use an empty shell as tongs for the rest, and drink the broth from the bottom of the pot.