Moules Marinières et Frites Rôtis

The marinières are sailors. One surmises that the title comes from the elementary simplicity of the dish. Whether it was made for sailors, or by sailors, or whether the sailors ever even ate it is disputable but why let etymology get in the way of a good dish?

Assuming the sailors ever ate this, the CC doubts very much whether they cared for nutritional integrity. However, we live in modern leaner times, and even classic dishes must tow the line.

Like all dishes of this ilk, the details are a little vague. The herbs are really whatever was in season, or even whatever was available. The only constant seem to be the mussels (moules), and the fries (frites.) It would be a bit tricky to make a dish without its main ingredients (not that that has ever stopped anyone from trying!)

Ingredients

1 lb mussels
1 diced onion
5-6 cloves garlic
1-1/2 cup "good" dry white wine
thyme
rosemary
olive oil
sea salt and pepper

1 lb potatoes
sprigs of rosemary
olive oil
sea salt and pepper

crusty bread

Recipe

The potatoes are coated in olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt, and black pepper, and sprinkled with whole rosemary.

Bake in an oven at 450F for an hour. Roughly halfway through they must be turned over. Be careful or else they will stick.

onions+garlic and thyme+rosemary
Fry the onions and garlic, at a very low heat.

Add the tomato paste (not shown), fry for a bit, and the herbs.

Toss in the wine, and add the mussels. Cover, and let it steam to cook the mussels. Discard any that don't open. Remove the mussels, and let the remaining portion reduce for a bit. Pour it over the mussels.

This is the final product (a tad sanitized.) Part of the charm is eating with your fingers. Make sure you sop of the juices with the fries or the bread!