Moules-Frites
Belgium's national dish — plump mussels steamed in white wine, served with golden frites.
Comfort Food
Date Night
Ingredients
- 2 kg fresh mussels
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 30g butter
- 200ml dry white wine
- 150ml heavy cream
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- Black pepper to taste
- Crusty bread, for serving
- For the frites:
- 1 kg large potatoes, cut into 1cm thick sticks
- Oil for deep frying (beef tallow is traditional)
- Fine salt
Instructions
- 1 Prepare frites: cut potatoes into 1cm sticks. Soak in cold water 30 minutes. Drain and dry thoroughly.
- 2 First fry: heat oil to 150°C (300°F). Fry potatoes in batches for 6-7 minutes until cooked through but pale. Drain and set aside.
- 3 Clean mussels: scrub shells, pull off any beards. Discard any that are cracked or won't close when tapped.
- 4 Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté shallots for 2 minutes. Add garlic, cook 30 seconds.
- 5 Pour in white wine. Bring to a simmer.
- 6 Add mussels. Cover tightly. Cook for 4-5 minutes, shaking the pot once halfway, until all mussels have opened. Discard any that stay closed.
- 7 Stir in cream and parsley. Season with pepper — usually no salt needed, mussels are naturally briny.
- 8 Second fry frites: heat oil to 190°C (375°F). Fry in batches for 2-3 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain, salt immediately.
- 9 Serve mussels in the pot with frites alongside and crusty bread.
About This Recipe
Moules-Frites is Belgium's undisputed national dish. A steaming pot of mussels cooked in white wine with shallots, garlic, and parsley, served with a mountain of twice-fried Belgian frites on the side.
The mussels cook in just 5 minutes — they open in the fragrant broth and release their own briny juices into the sauce. Use the empty shells as pinchers to eat the rest. Don't forget crusty bread to soak up the broth at the bottom of the pot.
