Poached Mussels For Two Recipes

COLD POACHED MUSSELS WITH CREAMY MUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a medium high-sided saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic, and cook, stirring, until shallots are translucent and garlic is very fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Add the salt and pepper. Add mussels and wine. Cover saucepan, and cook until mussels open and are cooked through, about 8 minutes. Discard any mussels that have not opened.
• Remove mussels from saucepan. Transfer cooking liquid to a small bowl, and set aside to cool. When cool, transfer to refrigerator to chill.
• Remove mussels from shells, reserving shells for serving, if desired. Place mussels in a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and transfer to refrigerator.
• Whisk together creme fraiche, mustard, and champagne vinegar. Stir cooking liquid, and add about 4 tablespoons reserved cooking liquid and shallots to the creme fraiche mixture to make a nice thin sauce with just enough body to cling to mussels. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and more mustard if desired. Stir in half the lemon zest and chervil.
• Gently toss cold mussels in mustard sauce. Spoon a mussel and a large puddle of sauce back into reserved mussel shells. Sprinkle mussels with remaining half of zest and chervil, and serve with any remaining sauce on the side.

POACHED MUSSELS FOR TWO

Steps:

• Scrub mussels with a brush under cool running water, and remove beards. Discard any opened or cracked mussels. They are dead.
• Bring broth and red wine vinegar to a boil in a large pan with a lid. Add mussels and reduce heat. Simmer 8-10 minutes or until shells open, shaking the pan occasionally. Transfer mussels to a dish.
• Add the remaining ingredients, except butter, to the broth in the pan. Cook over high heat until the until the liquid is reduced by about half.
• Remove from heat. Whisk in butter until melted. Pour sauce over mussels.

POACHED MUSSELS, TOMATO, SAFFRON AND BASIL

Steps:

• Bring wine and saffron to the boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, add mussels, cover and cook, shaking pan occasionally, until they start to open (2-3 minutes). Remove mussels from pan as they open, remove mussel meat from shells and reserve. Strain and reserve cooking liquid.
• For tomato dressing, combine tomato and spring onion in a bowl, add 30ml reserved mussel liquor, oil and lemon juice, and stir to combine. Pour tomato dressing over mussels, scatter with watercress and allow flavours to infuse (15 minutes) before serving.