MOUCLADE is a divine dish of steamed mussels in a mild saffron curry cream sauce kissed with cognac. It originated from La Rochelle in south western France and is my favourite way to enjoy fresh mussels! In my version, it is a bit lighter (and almost dairy-free) by using oat milk instead of the traditional heavy cream. Lighter, but ever so luscious and flavourful. A fresh, crusty baguette is a must for sopping up all the saucy goodness.
This dish takes about 15 minutes to cook. Seriously! Steaming mussels at home could not be easier. Anyone can make this and look like a professional chef when the meal comes out. It’s like dining at a restaurant for a fraction of the cost. Mussels are one of the most affordable, accessible shellfish available and prepared so simply like this, is not just for special occasions and holidays. I am so pleased to partner with PEI Seafood on this post to show you exactly just that with this recipe!
Prince Edward Island (PEI) is one of Canada’s Eastern maritime provinces and known as Canada’s Food Island. Aka a foodie’s paradise. PEI’s main seafood offerings include mussels, lobsters and oysters, harvested by its fishing communities through hard work and with pride. They come from a pristine environment with a focus on sustainability, quality, and safe food year-round. Their seafood is legit some of the finest in the world and, through their labour of love, can be enjoyed right in our homes. I hope this post inspires you to try cooking mussels in your own kitchen too.
Have you had Mouclade before? Let me know if you give this recipe a try. I would love to know what you think. Cheers!
x sonia
NOTES:
Storing – fresh mussels can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. Remove from plastic bag and place them on a large platter or baking sheet (or keep them in the mesh bag if they came in one) covered with a damp kitchen towel or damp paper towels. No ice is required.
Cleaning – ask your fish monger to clean / de-beard the mussels for you. You’ll likely still need to give them an overall scrub once you bring them home to thoroughly scrape off the smaller barnacles, which is easy to do with a small metal teaspoon.
Mouclade Mussels in Saffron Cream Sauce
Serves 4 as a main dish.
INGREDIENTS
Pinch saffron + 2 tbsp hot water
4 lbs fresh in-shell mussels, cleaned (see instructions under method)
½ C (120 ml) dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
2 tbsp butter
1 C finely chopped white onion (about half a medium onion)
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp yellow curry powder
2 tbsp cognac or brandy
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 C (240 ml) plain unsweetened oat milk, or other milk of choice
1/3 C roughly chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
In a small dish, place saffron threads and hot (not boiling) water and allow it to steep at least 15 minutes or longer, until you’re ready to use.
Clean mussels by rinsing under cold running tap water, pulling off any beards and ridding shells of barnacles (I like to use a metal teaspoon to scrape them off). Place them into a large lidded pan or pot, along with the white wine. Line a large colander with 2 to 3 layers of cheesecloth (to catch grit) set over a larger pot or bowl to catch the steaming liquid – set aside.
Steam the pot of mussels over high heat for about 4 minutes, or until all the shells have opened. Strain the mussels over your cheesecloth-lined colander, reserving the liquid. You should have about 1 to 1 ¼ cup of steaming liquid. Discard any closed mussels. Cover the musses to keep them warm while you finish the sauce.
While the mussels steam, in a separate sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped onions with a pinch of kosher salt and sauté 1 minute, then add minced garlic and curry powder. Cook for 2 more minutes. Add cognac (or brandy) and allow it to boil off for about 3 minutes or until the liquid is pretty much evaporated. Add flour and cook for a minute, whisking constantly. Pour in the reserved steaming liquid and the saffron water. Whisk until smooth and let it simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Add the milk and bring back to a gentle simmer for a couple of minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Place mussels in serving platter (or serve it out of the pot as I do). Add chopped parsley into the sauce and pour all over the mussels. Serve with crusty bread. Enjoy! Preferably with a glass of chilled crisp white wine :)
This post is sponsored by PEI Seafood. I partner with brands and organizations I love and as always, my opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that allow me to bring new content to this site and share my discoveries with you! Visit princeedwardislandseafood.com for lots more information and recipe inspirations. You can also find them on Instagram @PEISeafood, on Facebook @PEISeafood1 and on twitter @PEISeafood.
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