EZ Contemporary French Cooking - Lesson #4 PDF Print E-mail

Mussels (or Clams, or tiny Scallops) to dip in Lemon-Black Pepper Butter

The first time I ate shellfish prepared this way, they were tiny scallops called Coquilles. Although mussels are native to the cold waters off Brittany, they are a favorite all over France. Their flavor can be more assertive than clams and some oysters, and they’re not eaten raw, but if you like shellfish, you should get to know them because they’re delicious; (b) they’re plentiful; (c) they’re the one great shellfish bargain left in the market.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:
2 pounds

 fresh mussels (or tiny clams [cockles] or scallops in their shells) freshly ground black pepper
1/4 pound

 unsalted butter to melt for dippin
2  tsp.
 freshly ground black pepper


Juice of 1 lemon


Fresh lemons cut into wedges


Procedure:

Just before you prepare this dish, scrub the shellfish thoroughly and rinse them with several changes of cool water. Pull the beards off the mussels. (If you do this in advance, they will die and spoil!)

Discard any mussels that you can't encourage to close their shells. (They're dead!)

If you are using clams or scallops, you will not have to worry with the beards. Just scrub each piece, discarding any that won't close, and proceed.

Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Use no fat at all. When a few drops of water sizzle in the skillet and vaporize, you're ready to cook the mussels.

Put all the mussels into the pan and start shaking it at once. The mussels should begin to open immediately. Keep shaking the pan until all of them have opened.

If the pan becomes completely dry, sprinkle a few drops of water to moisten it. When all the mussels are opened, grind some fresh black pepper on them and bring the pan right to the table.

For the dipping sauce, melt the unsalted butter and stir in the fresh lemon juice and freshly ground pepper. Garnish the platter with freshly cut lemon wedges.

Cook’s Tips:

When your shellfish are very fresh, they are so sweet! They need no added salt because they are naturally salty, and eating them this way brings out all the wonderful briny flavor.

Wine Tip: The best choice for this (and most mussel dishes) is Muscadet – the white wine of the Loire Valley in France.

Pasta with Pesto

This pasta is incredibly simple and is delicious as a side dish with the mussels, or you could serve it on its own as a main course with a little fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano. Pistou is the word for pesto – and they always omit the pine nuts.

6 servings (as a first course)

Ingredients:

Sea salt
1 pound          
fresh spinach pasta, preferably fettuccine (regular fettuccine can be substituted) [If you use dried pasta instead, you’ll need 1/2 pound – it expands!] Pistou (recipe follows)


Procedure:

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt the water. Add the pasta and cook until just tender (about 2 minutes). Drain. Place the pasta in a large, warm, shallow bowl.

Add the pistou to the pasta and toss gently and thoroughly until the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce.

Pistou

Makes 1 cup

3 large garlic cloves, halved
2 cups
loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup
extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste


With the motor running in your food processor fitted with the metal blade, drop the garlic cloves through the feed tube & process until chopped very fine. Add basil, chop fine.

Leaving the motor running, add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream.

Shut off the motor, add the cheese, a big pinch of salt and a liberal grinding of pepper. Pulse three or four times to mix well. Scrape into a glass jar and cover until ready to use.