Equipment
Ingredients
Garlic Aïoli
- 6 garlic, peeled and grated
- 2 egg yolk, room temperature
- 15 ml lemon juice
- 2 g salt
- 1 g black pepper
- 5 g dijon mustard
- 100 ml vegetable oil
- 100 ml olive oil
Mussel Stew
- 750 g mussels, cleaned and de-bearded
- 30 ml olive oil
- 100 g onion, thinly sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 250 ml white wine
- 100 g leek, white part only, finely sliced
- 100 g fennel, thinly sliced
- 75 g carrot, thinly sliced
- ⅛ g saffron
- 300 ml water
- 80 g bread, stale or toasted
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Grate 6 peeled garlic cloves into a food processor, ensuring any green germs are removed.
Add 2 egg yolks, 15ml lemon juice, 2g salt, 1g pepper, and 5g Dijon mustard to the processor and blend until smooth.
Slowly stream in 100ml vegetable oil and 100ml olive oil while the processor is running until the mixture emulsifies into a thick paste.
Place the prepared aïoli in the refrigerator to chill.
Scrub 750g mussels and remove the beards; discard any mussels that remain open after being tapped firmly.
Heat 15ml olive oil in a large pan over high heat and sauté 50g of the sliced onion until softened.
Add 2 bay leaves and 125ml white wine to the pan.
Add the mussels and 200ml water to the pan, cover tightly, and steam for 3 to 5 minutes until the shells open.
Drain the mussels through a colander into a bowl, reserving all the cooking liquid and discarding any mussels that did not open.
Remove the mussel meat from the shells once cool enough to handle and set the meat aside.
In a clean pan, heat 15ml olive oil and sauté the remaining 50g onion, 100g leek, 100g fennel, and 75g carrot until tender.
Deglaze the pan with the remaining 125ml white wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom.
Stir in the reserved mussel liquid, 100ml water, and 0.1g saffron, then simmer for 10 minutes (approx 85°C/185°F).
Whisk 250ml of the chilled aïoli into the broth until the liquid thickens.
Add the mussel meat back to the pan and heat gently until warmed through.
Place 40g of bread into each serving bowl and ladle the stew over the bread.
Chef's Notes
- For the aïoli, ensure all ingredients are at room temperature for optimal emulsification. If the aïoli breaks, try whisking a fresh egg yolk with a teaspoon of water and then slowly re-incorporating the broken mixture.
- When cleaning mussels, discard any that are already open and don't close when tapped. This indicates they are likely dead and unsafe to eat.
- Don't overcook the mussels; they should only steam for 3-5 minutes. Overcooked mussels become tough and rubbery.
- The saffron adds a beautiful aroma and color. For a more intense flavor, you can bloom the saffron threads in a tablespoon of warm water for 10 minutes before adding them to the broth.
- Serve immediately with crusty bread for dipping into the flavorful broth. A simple green salad makes a refreshing accompaniment.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Store mussel meat and broth together; best consumed fresh.
Reheating: Gently warm in a saucepan over low heat until steaming; do not boil.
