| |
Baked Mussels With Herbs
(Moules Le Zoute)
|
|
|
| What You Need: |
|
|
|
Rock salt or coarse salt
2 dozen large mussels (about 3 pounds), shucked, with the deeper half shell of each reserved
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon crumbled dried tarragon
˝ teaspoon finely chopped garlic
˝ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1˝ cups soft fresh crumbs made from homemade-type white bread, pulverized in a blender or finely shredded with a fork
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small bits
1 lemon, cut lengthwise into quarters
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| How To Cook: |
|
|
Mussels-like clams or oysters-must be purchased with tightly closed
shells. If the shells of an open mussel do not close when run quickly
under cold water, the mussel must not be used. If the shells do not open
when cooked, they must be discarded.
|
1. Preheat the oven to 350. Line a large shallow roasting pan or jelly-roll pan with rock salt (or coarse salt) to a depth of ˝ inch. Scrub the reserved mussel shells thoroughly under cold running water, then pat them dry.
|
2. Arrange them in a single layer in the salt-lined pan and place a mussel in each one. Combine the shallots, parsley, tarragon, garlic and pepper in a bowl and mix well.
|
3. Then add the bread crumbs and toss thoroughly together. Sprinkle the top of the mussels evenly with the crumb-and-herb mixture, masking the mussels completely.
|
4. Then dot each mussel with a few of the butter bits and bake in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes.
|
5. Place the pan under a preheated broiler (about 3 inches from the heat) for a minute to brown the crumbs lightly. Transfer the mussels from the pan to a large heated platter, garnish with lemon and serve at once.
|
|
NOTE: The bed of salt is not indispensable to the success of this dish. You may, if you like, bake the mussels in any shallow baking dish large enough to hold the shells snugly in one layer.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
