So we don’t often post a recipe that requires no salt but here it is…Philippe’s favourite Brasucade de Moules. Nothing like French steamed mussels in cream and Pernod or Pastis sauce from the South of France. Adding the 200 year old liquor gives that irresistible sweet anise licorice flavour to the dish. Pair with an unoaked chardonnay, Pic Poul, Viognier or Riesling or a snappy Pilsner if you prefer beer. Oh, and don’t forget the baguette to soak up the sauce. Délicieux!
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4-6 people
- Fresh mussels: 2 kilos for 4-6 people
- 1/2 litre cream
- 1 large onion
- 1 bunch of parsley
- 200 cl or small glass of Pernod or Pastis (or substitute with white wine if you cannot find the licorice liquor)
- 4-5 cloves of garlic
INSTRUCTIONS
Wash your mussels thoroughly by running cold water over the mussels in the sink and letting them soak underwater for 20 minutes. Remove any dark fuzzy “beard” and scrub if you need to with a wire brush. Pull off the remainder with your fingers. If need be go for the small pliers and yank the remnants of the beard off. Be aggressive. They need to be clean. Discard any broken or open mussels that do not close when tapped.
Locally we love Salt Spring mussels – if you can find them fresh they are super clean and almost ready to cook. Absolutely delicious!
Dice your onions and finely chop the garlic and parsley.
Use a large deeper wok or large pan deep enough to comfortably fit the mussels for stirring. Add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook on your stovetop or on your BBQ outdoors. Start with a medium/high heat setting.
First add the onions and stir until they are soft and translucent. Then add the mussels and raise your stove/BBQ temperature to high. Stir your mussels until the first one starts to open (mussels will start releasing water). Add finely chopped garlic and parsley at this point. Lastly add the Pernod and cream and continue stirring until all mussels have opened. Please note some will not open…shame but it’s normal. (Discard unopened mussels).
Serve immediately in a soup dish with the sauce and a large spoon. Eat hot with a baguette and your choice of beverage.