Day 42: a delectable surprise

I took full advantage of the availability of fresh mussels at my fishmongers when I went to collect the clams (for Nigella’s Clams with Linguine) on Saturday, so today’s pick is very much a result of this purchase, as opposed to pre-planning and then buying the mussels for a recipe I already had in mind. A delicious surprise, therefore, is not to suggest I was surprised that it was delicious - rather that I was surprised we wangled a second shellfish-based recipe in one weekend. It also happened to be a very delectable one, too.

I mentioned yesterday that I tend to stick to the traditional (for me) white wine, cream, and garlic way of cooking shellfish and this was, in fact, how I initially intended to use these mussels. But, this is a journey of discovery and trying new things, so when searching for Nigella mussel recipes, I was very intrigued to find Mouclade - something I had never before heard of. In all honesty, it’s not too dissimilar to what I’m used to, but it does have that little extra touch of magic.

Nigella’s Mouclade

While writing this, I did a little research into the nomenclature of mouclade. It seems its name derives from the word moucle, which is french for mussel, and the suffix ade indicates a dish or recipe made from a specific ingredient, in this case - mussels. It's also a recipe that can differ quite significantly depending on the region of France you’re in; most forms seem to contain cream and white wine, some add saffron and curry spices, others even add egg yolk, but I am quite happy that this version makes for a quick and easy option - being in Nigella Express and all - which meant that I actually had all of the ingredients on-site. I always have a bottle of white wine for cooking, double cream in the fridge - as I use it for sauces and gravies, daily - and curry powder and garlic are store cupboard essentials chez moi (although I don’t think I’ve used the curry powder for about a year!).

As easy as (actually, more than) its distant cousin Moules marinière, Nigella’s Mouclade is a breeze to make and a pleasure to eat. It’s a recipe right at home in Nigella Express: you don’t even need to saute the spring onions first. It really is just a case of putting everything into one pot (except the mussels) and then when that comes to a boil add your prepped mussels, clamp on the lid, and wait for happiness.

Flavour musings

And, that happiness is found in both the smells and tastes of this mouclade; its exotic fragrance is a refreshing change from the traditional marinière style, but it delivered equal pleasures. That sweet, briny ocean-relish from the mussels, mixed with the sour-sweet (almost fruity?) and spiciness of the curry powder was a whole new flavour profile for us, and one we are very keen to repeat. Maybe the fruity sharpness could be from the wine (?), or, maybe I just don’t know what I’m talking about. But, what I do know, is that it offered - and encouraged - the opportunity to mop up those fragrant, creamy juices with a crusty baguette: a proposition I could hardly, and would likely never, reject. I consider myself blessed to have found this recipe, to have been in a position to cook this recipe, and to have been lucky enough to have had a couple of half-baked baguettes in the freezer to put in the oven - for soaking up that dreamily-creamy, mildly-curried sauce.