About this Dish
Belgium's national dish — mussels steamed in white wine, celery and shallots, served in the pot with a mountain of crispy fries on the side. The frites must be double-fried in beef fat — Belgian frites are considered the world's finest, and Belgians take fierce exception to calling them french fries. The mussels arrive in season from Zeeland in the Netherlands and must be eaten immediately.
IngredientsServes 2
🦪Fresh Zeeland mussels, 2kg scrubbed and debearded
🧅Shallots, 4 large, finely sliced
🌿Celery, 4 stalks with leaves, roughly chopped
🧄Garlic, 3 cloves, minced
🍷Dry white wine such as Muscadet, 250ml
🧈Unsalted butter, 60g
🥔Floury potatoes such as Bintje or Maris Piper, 1kg, peeled and cut into thick batons
🥩Beef dripping or beef tallow, 1.5 litres for deep frying
🌿Flat-leaf parsley, a generous handful, roughly chopped
🧂Flaky sea salt and white pepper, to taste
Method
1
Soak the cut potato batons in cold water for at least 30 minutes, then drain and pat completely dry with a clean tea towel — this removes the starch and guarantees a crispy frite.2
Heat the beef dripping in a deep heavy pot or fryer to 150°C and fry the potatoes in batches for 5–6 minutes until cooked through but still pale and soft. Remove, drain on a rack and leave to rest — this is the essential first fry.3
Discard any mussels that are cracked or that refuse to close when sharply tapped. In a large pot with a tight-fitting lid, melt the butter over a medium-high heat and gently soften the shallots, garlic and celery for 3–4 minutes until translucent.4
Pour in the white wine, raise the heat to high, then tip in all the mussels and clamp on the lid. Steam for 4–5 minutes, shaking the pot once or twice, until every mussel has opened wide — discard any that stubbornly remain shut.5
While the mussels are steaming, crank the beef dripping up to 190°C and drop the parboiled frites back in for 2–3 minutes until deeply golden and shatteringly crisp. Drain immediately and season heavily with flaky salt.6
Scatter the parsley over the mussels and check the broth for seasoning — the liquor in the bottom of the pot is the best part, so serve straight from the pot at the table with crusty bread for dipping.7
Pile the frites into a paper cone or bowl alongside and eat everything immediately, while the mussels are piping hot and the frites are still crackling — this dish waits for no one.User Reviews
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