This dish, what the French would call "Moules a la Moutarde", is traditionally made with a dijon mustard but when my friends from Coleman's Mustard sent me a beautiful collection of their dry and prepared mustards to try, I couldn't resist giving this classic French meal a British mustard make-over!
The results? Jolly good nosh, if I do say so myself….the Dog's Bollocks, really!
Coleman's of Norwich, established in 1814 by Jeremiah Coleman is a fiery mustard that quickly gained favor as an essential condiment in the U.K., and achieved a royal following and a permanent place of honor in the hearts and kitchens of the British when in 1866 it was awarded – the Royal Warrant – by Queen Victoria…Huzzah!. I've used Coleman's dry mustard for years as a key ingredient in many a meat rub and sauce, including the dry rub and BBQ sauce in my (surely by now) world famous "St. Louis Ribs with Maple BBQ Sauce". My spice bin is never without a trusted golden can of Coleman's dry, but until now I've not had a jar of their prepared mustard in my cooking arsenal….silly me.
Since I've started using the prepared mustard, I've loved it slathered on sandwiches, stirred into a quick pan sauce, and whisked into a spicy vinaigrette…..and can I tell you, it was the perfect addition to the mussels we made last night. Just a couple tablespoons whisked into the cream that I finished the mussels with added a depth of flavor and warm mustard glow that really elevated the dish. If you like things on the spicy side, a three or four tablespoon addition will have you chirping "Bob's Your Uncle" as you munch your way through the steamy pot of mussels…..promise.
Steamed mussels are super easy to prepare, as are the grilled garlic toasts that are an absolute MUST with this dish. Sopping up the mustardy mussel cream at the bottom of your bowl with what is essentially a huge garlic infused crouton is essential to the experience….don't skip it.
Cheerio – Steve
Ingredients
- 3 pounds mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 shallot, sliced
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons (or more to your liking) Coleman's prepared mustard
- a few glugs of EVOO
- 2 tablespoons butter
- a few grinds of black pepper from the mill
- a large pinch of kosher salt
- 4 sprigs of parsley, finely minced
- 20 stems of chive, finely minced
- 6 slices rustic bread
Instructions
for the toasts:
- Brush both sides of each slice of bread with EVOO and lightly sprinkle one side with salt. Grill until nicely charred on both sides, remove from the heat. Slice a garlic clove in half, then rub the cut side of the clove over each slice of toast. Set them aside in a warm place while you cook the mussels.
for the mussels:
- Heat the butter and a few glugs of oil in a large dutch oven. Add the onion and shallot and cook over medium-high heat until just starting to caramelize. Add the garlic, fresh thyme, pinch of salt and some black pepper, and cook for another minute. Add the wine and mussels, cover the pot tightly and give it a good shake to stir everything together. Cook, covered, until all the mussels have opened, about 4-5 minutes.
- While the mussels are cooking whisk together the mustard and cream.
- When the mussels are cooked add the mustard cream and pull the pot from the heat. Stir well to incorporate (or put the lid back on and give'em a good shake), and cover the pot for a minute or two to keep the mussels warm while they bathe in the sauce.
- Spoon mussels into warmed bowls being sure to get plenty of the awesome Coleman's cream from the bottom. Serve with garlic toasts and a simple green salad.