Mouclade Charentaise
45 min · 13 steps
Hard: over 60 min or 12+ steps
About this dish
Mussels steamed open in white wine are bathed back in their own briny liquor, enriched with saffron, a splash of Pineau des Charentes, and a silky egg-and-cream sauce — the Charente-Maritime tradition of returning the cooking liquor to the pot is what turns a flat cream sauce into something deeply oceanic.
Allergy Info
Dairy, Gluten, Eggs, Sulphites, Molluscs
Diet Info
Pescatarian
Ingredients
Fresh Produce
- Shallotsfinely diced2 medium
- Garlic clovesfinely sliced3
- Flat-leaf parsleyleaves finely chopped1 small bunch
- Lemoncut into wedges1
Fish & Seafood
- Fresh musselsscrubbed and debearded2 kg
Dairy & Eggs
- Unsalted butter50 g
- Double cream200 ml
- Egg yolks2
Dried Goods
- Warm water2 tbsp
- Plain flour1 tsp
- Crusty bread to serve
Spices & Seasonings
- Saffron threads1 small pinch
- Mild curry powderMadras-style1 tsp
- Flaky sea salt to taste
- White pepper to taste
Oils & Condiments
- Dry white wineMuscadet or Picpoul200 ml
- Pineau des Charentesor dry sherry as substitute80 ml
Utensils
- Large wide pot
- Colander
- Fine sieve or muslin cloth
- Whisk
Method
Discard any mussels that are cracked or remain open after a firm tap on the counter — these are not safe to cook. Place the saffron threads in the warm water and set aside to bloom for 10 minutes.
Place a large, wide pot over high heat. Once hot, add the white wine and mussels, cover tightly, and steam for 4-5 minutes, shaking the pot once halfway, until all mussels have opened.
Tip the mussels into a colander set over a large bowl to catch every drop of the cooking liquor. Discard any mussels that have not opened — they were not alive before cooking and are not safe to eat. Strain the liquor through a fine sieve or muslin cloth to remove any grit and set aside.
Once cool enough to handle, remove the top shell from each mussel, leaving the meat sitting in the cupped half-shell. Arrange the mussels in their half-shells in a single layer across a wide, shallow baking dish and keep warm in an oven set to 60°C.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until completely soft and translucent but not coloured.
Add the garlic and curry powder and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring, to form a brief roux.
Pour in the Pineau des Charentes and cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until the alcohol aroma softens.
Add the strained mussel liquor and the bloomed saffron with its soaking water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about one-third.
Remove the pan from the heat. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks together with the double cream, then slowly ladle a spoonful of the hot sauce into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly to temper it.
Pour the tempered cream mixture back into the sauce, stirring to combine. Return the pan to the lowest possible heat and warm gently for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon — do not allow it to boil or the yolks will curdle.
Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with white pepper and a very small amount of flaky salt, bearing in mind the mussel liquor is already salty. Stir in half the chopped parsley.
Spoon the sauce generously over the mussels in their half-shells. Scatter the remaining parsley over the top and serve immediately with lemon wedges and plenty of crusty bread to mop up the sauce.