Mussels with Blue cheese

This preparation is oustanding. Joanna and I discovered this dish in July, 2005 in Petit Paris, a tiny bistro in Grassmarket, below the castle in Edinburgh. We have reproduced it many times since then. The blue cheese, added towards the end of cooking, melts and enriches the broth with mild blue cheese flavor. The restaurant used bleu d'Auvergne, but any creamy blue cheese will do nicely: Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Maytag, Danish blue, or Saga. If you can find it, try Forme D’Ambert, a wonderfully mild French blue cheese made from raw cow’s milk.

This dish is a favorite our niece, Taylor Lee.

Ingredients:

2 pounds or about 30 cleaned fresh mussels
1 Tablespoon butter
1 shallot or ¼ small onion, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped fine
½ cup white wine
4 ounces blue cheese, cut into ½” pieces
¼ cup cream
2 Tablespoons tomato, seeded and diced.

Method:

With pan on medium heat, add the butter and shallot. Cook until the shallot is softened, about two minutes Add the garlic and saute for one more minute.

Add the wine. Turn the heat to high. Add the mussels and tomato. Cover the pan with a lid.

After three minutes, stir the mussels and remove any that have opened wide. Add the blue cheese and cream and replace the lid.

After two or three more minutes, stir the mussels again to incorporate the blue cheese and cream. Inspect them. The mussels should be open wide. If not, cook for another minute. Remove the pan from the heat and serve.


Variation: instead of blue cheese, substitute 4 ounces of brie or 4 ounces of camembert, with the rind removed.

The leftover broth from this dish can be used to make an amazing risotto.

 

 

The Secret Life of Mussels

 

Green's Island Camp > Mussels