I was in the mood for a taste of Belgium last Sunday night, so while two men drafted their Fantasy Football teams, I prepared moules frites while a friend and I drank chilled white wine and attempted to cool down from the summer heat. In a kitchen with oil bubbling up for homemade fries, cooling down was, unfortunately, not an option.It didn't matter though. And that's just the thing: when I get an idea in my head about something I want to cook, I have a one-track mind and become rather frenzied until my dish is done. Passports or not...we would all be visiting Belgium that summer evening.
Moules frites have found a home in Belgium, France, and the Netherlands, and are really nothing more than bistro style fish and chips. That is, until you break open a bottle of sauvignon blanc, chop up some fresh leeks and garlic, defrost a tub of fish stock, and comingle it together in a tall, red Dansk pot with a bit of olive oil. Good olive oil. I like Lucini. That's not the point though.
The point is, making mussels hardly takes an ounce of muscle at all. The steam from the pot works to open them, and as they drink the delicious broth down between their shells, you just know that each bite is going to be heavenly, particularly with a handful of fries and/or a hunk of garlic bread to mop up the juices. So, the next time you have a hankering for something Belgian, French, Dutch, or all three, don't hesitate to make mussels. Quicker than chicken, and healthier than steak, this summer meal was on the table before the boys reached Round 6 of the draft.
Moules Frites
Splash of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Leeks, Chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
1/2 Cup of Sauvingnon Blanc
1/2 Cup Fish Stock
2.5 lbs Fresh Mussels, Cleaned and De-Bearded
1 Lemon, the Zest and the Juice
Handful of Parsley, Chopped
Fresh Thyme, Chopped
1. In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and garlic, and saute until fragrant, about five minutes.
2. Add the wine and the fish stock, stirring to combine. Allow it to simmer for about five more minutes.
3. Add in the mussels, stir to combine and seal with a lid. The mussels will need between five to seven minutes to cook and open. Discard any mussels that don't open.
4. Add the lemon zest, juice, parsley, and thyme, stir to coat the mussels in the broth. Ladle into bowls and serve with frites (recipe below) and a hunk of crusty bread or store-bought garlic bread (long live the foil bag kind).
Frites
3 Russet Potatoes, Peeled (Discard the peelings in the trash can, not the garbage disposal*)
4 Cups of Canola/Vegetable Oil
Fleur de Sel
A Few Sprigs of Thyme, Chopped
1. Peel the potatoes and slice into matchsticks or whichever size fry you prefer. Submerge the potatoes in a pot of cold water to prevent them from browning.
2. Preheat a deep, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add in the oil, and bring it to about 350 degrees. With a small piece of potato, test the oil to make sure it's hot enough. If the fry begins to bubble, you're good to go.
3. Cook the fries in batches (be sure not to crowd the pan or you'll bring down the temperature of the oil and end up with soggy fries) for approximately five to seven minutes per batch. Remove to a paper towel-lined bowl to drain.
4. Sprinkle with fleur de sel and thyme to taste and serve in a wax paper cone that's been set inside of a glass.
*Potato peels and most in-sink garbage disposals don't mix according to my mother and the plumbing problem we had after this meal. Potato peels, along with other stringy vegetables like celery and asparagus, get gummy and mushy, and will clog up the bottom of your disposal, making for quite a mess. Use a piece of wax paper or paper towels to peel your potatoes on top of, and discard the peelings in the trash can. Trust me.
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