French style mussels
Exquisite French-style mussels in bouillabaisse broth made with garlic, saffron, chilli, white wine, stock, tomatoes and orange rind
Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 30 gm butter
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 small onion (finely diced)
- large pinch saffron threads (NOTE 1)
- ½ cup white wine
- 3 cups salt-reduced chicken stock (or broth) (NOTE 2)
- 400 gm canned diced tomatoes
- 3 strips orange rind
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 small red chilli (Bird's eye, sliced thinly)
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 kg mussels (NOTE 3)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil and melt the butter in a large deep frying pan or a saucepan over medium-high heat, then add in the garlic, onion and saffron. Stirring quickly for a minute or until fragrant, but don't let it burn. Pour in the wine, stirring for a minute or until the alcohol smell disappears.
- Pour the stock, and canned tomatoes into the pan, then add in the orange rind, bay leaves, thyme, chilli and sugar. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil, then add in the mussels and cover for a minute. Uncover and stir the mixture gently. If the mussels haven't opened, cover the pot and cook for a further 30 seconds. Repeat this once more if most of the mussels haven't opened, but don't cook the mussels for over 2 minutes or they will shrink and become rubbery. Have a taste and add more salt or pepper if needed. Serve immediately with crusty bread and don't forget the French fries!
Notes
(NOTE 1) Saffron threads - Authentic saffron threads are expensive for just a tiny amount. It's nicknamed 'Red Gold' for a reason! Saffron has a floral, earthy and sweet honey flavour. Supermarkets usually stock saffron near the spice and cooking section.
(NOTE 2) Chicken stock or broth - I prefer using salt-reduced chicken stock, as I have more control over the sodium level. It's always better to be under-seasoned than over-seasoned as it's easier to fix.
(NOTE 3) Mussels - I used Australian Blue mussels that came in a vacuum-sealed bag ready to use. They're kept alive with ocean water and are cleaned prior to packaging. The only thing I had to do was rinse the mussels out in cold water and leave them in a colander to drain out the water. If you're using uncleaned mussels, scrub the shells and pull out their beards before cooking.
Leftovers - Allow the mussels and broth to cool completely at room temperature, then transfer into a sealed container and refrigerate. It'll be good for up to 2 days.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements.
A Third-Party Application calculated the calories and nutritional information. Please use this as an approximate guide only.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 306kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 27gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 764mgPotassium: 1170mgFiber: 2gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 714IUVitamin C: 73mgCalcium: 130mgIron: 9mg