Mussels in white wine sauce and spaghetti

Serves : 4 people

Preparation : 30 minutes

Cooking : 25 minutes

Ingredients

For the cooking broth
3 dry white wine
1,5 water
4 shallots
1 celery
4 garlic
1 parsley
1 bay leaf
1 thyme
1 fennel optional if you can't find any
pepper

For the mussels
4 mussels which is about 3 kg
1 ¾ oz of butter
4 crème fraîche

For support
10.6 oz of spaghetti
1.8 oz of Parmesan

Kitchen utensils
cast-iron casserole

Instructions

Rinse and trim the parsley. Finely
chop it.

Peel and finely chop the shallots.
Crush the garlic cloves, remove the skin and the germ, and slice them into thin strips.
Rinse the celery and cut it into rounds.

In the casserole dish, add the white wine, water, shallots, celery, garlic, half the parsley, bay leaf, thyme, fennel (optional), and pepper.
Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Fill your sink with cold water and rinse the mussels. Use a small
knife to remove any "beards" and any rough spots on the outside of the shells.
Rinse the mussels until the water runs clear. Discard any raw mussels that are already open or floating on the surface.

Open the pot, add the butter and the washed mussels, cover, and cook for 20 minutes over fairly high heat, turning them occasionally.

When the dish is done cooking, add the remaining parsley and the crème fraîche.
Remove any remaining mussel "beards" if necessary.

Support and service

Cook the spaghetti (al dente, of course!).
Serve the spaghetti on individual plates, topped with the strained cooking liquid from the mussels and sprinkled with grated Parmesan.
Arrange the mussels in large bowls next to each plate.
Add a few bowls or small salad bowls for the empty shells.
And of course, don’t forget a basket of bread so your guests can mop up the delicious sauce from these mussels marinières!

Notes

WHAT TO DRINK WITH THESE MUSSELS MARINIÈRE AND SPAGHETTI? Mussels marinière, cooked with white wine, shallots, parsley, and sometimes a touch of cream, call for a dry, lively, and fresh white wine that complements the briny flavor of the mussels while balancing the dish’s mild acidity.

Here are a few examples of wines that are perfect for pairing with this dish:

Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine (Loire): the classic pairing, with its freshness and briny notes that pair perfectly with the mussels.
Picpoul de Pinet (Languedoc): dry and fruity, with a hint of salinity.
Gros-plant du Pays Nantais: dry, light, and very briny, perfect for a regional pairing.
Sauvignon Blanc (Touraine, Sancerre, Entre-deux-Mers): for citrusy and herbaceous notes.
A Chablis or a Petit Chablis if you’re looking for a more refined pairing