Recipe: Moules Normandes
Ingredients
- Ingredients
- 1/4 pound (112 grams) slab bacon, cut into 1/2-inch (1-centimeter) cubes
- 4 tablespoons (56 grams) butter
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 6 small white mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1/2 apple, cored, peeled, and cut into small dice or chunks
- 3 ounces (75 milliliters) good Calvados
- 1 cup (225 milliliters) heavy cream
- Salt and pepper
- 6 pounds (2.7 kilograms) mussels, scrubbed and debearded (just before cooking)
- Equipment
- Small pot
- Large pot with lid
- Wooden spoon
Preparation
In the small pot, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until the meat is brown and the fat has been rendered, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking. Discard the fat and reserve the meat.
In the large pot, heat the butter until it foams. Add the shallot and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and the apple and cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the Calvados, scraping the bottom of the pot with the wooden spoon to dislodge any good brown stuff that might be clinging there. Stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper.
Once the mixture has come to a boil, add the mussels and cover. Cook for 10 minutes, or until all of the mussels have opened. Shake. Cook for another minute. Shake again. Serve immediately.
Serving Size
Serves 4