Mussel season runs from July to April the following year. Huh, didn't they always used to say the 'r' should be in the month? - TEXT + IMAGE EDITORS
Zeeland mussels with fennel, ricard and vanilla
Preparation 20 minutes
You will need this:
- 2 kg Zeeland mussels, washed and rinsed
- 150 g mixture of white celery and onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig of thyme
- 1 knob of butter
- 100 ml dry white wine
- 1 fennel, including foliage, coarsely chopped
- a few sprigs of tarragon
- 1 vanilla pod
- 100 ml of cooking cream
- 50 ml Ricard
This is how you make it:
Fill a mussel pot or pan with the celery, onion, butter, thyme and bay leaf. Add the Zeeland mussels, wine, cream, Ricard, tarragon, fennel and vanilla. Place on a hot fire. Shake after 5 minutes so that the mussels from the bottom are on top. After 5 minutes, check whether all the mussels have opened. If they haven't, put them back on the heat for a while until they are all open. Serve with the fennel leaves.
Wine
The Ricard, a French aperitif, gives this dish aromas of liquorice and anise. The fennel also brings aniseed. So you can choose a red wine in which you can find the liquorice and also the vanilla, a chilled light Merlot for example. But this Chardonnay is also fine, as oak imparts the vanilla aroma. You also taste citrus, lime, melon and clove, flavours that pair well with the flavours of the dish. BELLINGHAM THE HOMESTEAD SERIES CHARDONNAY | VINIFY.EN | € 12,50
Curious to find out more about Zeeland mussels? You can read about it in WINELIFE Magazine 79. Order this one here!
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