Creamy Mussels with Sauce Roquefort Recipe

By
Kerry Saretsky
a photograph of Kerry Seretsky, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Kerry Saretsky

Kerry Saretsky interned at Serious Eats in 2008, and wrote the French in a Flash recipe column. She also writes her own blog on modernized French cuisine called French Revolution Food.

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Updated May. 15, 2019
Kerry Saretsky

This recipe is the perfect example of how maximizing a few key ingredients minimizes effort. This is a simple dish that I've had many times (but never enough!) in Normandy, where hungry eaters perch near the water in seaside restaurants and down huge iron pots of tiny mussels in sauces that go from the classic Marinière to cider, to cream, to garlic, to, of course, Roquefort, served with baguette, frites, and dry Norman apple cider.

In France, mussels are usually served as the main course, but I think something with this much attitude makes a killer appetizer. Sauté sweet shallots in olive oil and add some dry white wine for acidity and fresh thyme for woodsy floral warmth. The fresh mussels add their own briny liquor. Then, the perfect balance of pungent, sharp blue Roquefort and sweet, mellow, velvety cream come together to add the ultimate punch to the distinctive broth.

I like to serve this with grilled country bread and a dry apple or pear cider from northern France.

Recipe Facts

4

(1)

Active: 5 mins
Total: 10 mins
Serves: 4 servings

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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 2 medium shallots, finely diced (about 3 tablespoons)

  • 1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc

  • 8 stems thyme

  • 1 3/4 ounces Roquefort, roughly crumbled (about 1/2 cup)

  • 2 pounds mussels, cleaned and debearded

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large straight-sided sauté pan or saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallots, and cook, stirring constantly until just soft, about two minutes. Add the wine and the thyme, and increase the heat to high. When the wine boils, add the Roquefort and mussels. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the pot, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until all the mussels have opened, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the cream, and serve with crusty bread.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
550 Calories
24g Fat
19g Carbs
57g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 550
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 24g 31%
Saturated Fat 9g 47%
Cholesterol 160mg 53%
Sodium 1278mg 56%
Total Carbohydrate 19g 7%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 57g
Vitamin C 32mg 159%
Calcium 174mg 13%
Iron 15mg 86%
Potassium 664mg 14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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