Vive la France!
Today is Bastille Day and we are thinking about dining al fresco on some delicious and simple-to-prepare French Bistro fare this evening. Mussels Dijonnaise or Steamed Mussels in Mustard Sauce can be made on a weeknight and paired with a toss salad with a nice vinaigrette, a crusty baguette with plenty of beurre (butter), and a nice bottle of white wine.

Et Voila …Bastille Day A La Place!

Mussels Dijonnaise (Steamed Mussels in Mustard Sauce)
Adapted from Food 52
Yields 4 Servings

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onions
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
3 quarts mussels
1 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons French Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions
Clean and debeard the mussels
Soak the mussels in fresh water for about 20 minutes to allow them to breathe and release any sand. To remove the beard, hold the mussel in one hand, cover the other hand with a dry towel, and grasp the beard. Give it a sharp yank toward the hinge of the mussel. Discard the threads.

Remove the mussels from the water with your hands and place them in another bowl of clean, cold water. (Don’t pour the muscles because that will dump the sand in the clean water.)

Use a stiff brush to remove any additional sand and dirt. Rinse the mussels under cool tap water and set aside. Dry with a towel before cooking.

Sautée the aromatics
Heat the butter in a large saucepan until melted. Add the onions, shallots and garlic, and cook briefly, until wilted. Do not brown.

Cook the mussels
Add the mussels, salt, pepper, bay leaf, thyme, white wine, and cream. Cover closely and bring to a boil. Cook for about 5 minutes, shaking to redistribute the mussels. Cook until all the mussels are opened.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels to a serving bowl. Keep warm.

Finish the mustard sauce
Continue cooking the sauce for a minute, remove bay leaf and the thyme. Stir in the mustard with a wire whisk while heating. Do not boil.

Season sauce to taste with salt if necessary

Serve the mussels
Spoon equal portions of the sauce over the mussels, and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately with crusty bread.