MOULES POULETTE

Moules Poulette image

Yield makes about 36

Number Of Ingredients 10

2 cups dry white wine
2 pounds large mussels, scrubbed and debearded
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms, such as shiitake or oyster (3 ounces)
1/2 cup heavy cream
Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup grated Gruyère cheese (1 ounce)

Steps:

Bring the wine to a simmer in a large skillet over high heat. Add the mussels, and cook, stirring frequently, until they have opened, up to about 5 minutes. Transfer the mussels as they open to a bowl to cool. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup, reserving 1 cup liquid and discarding any grit.
Discard any mussels that did not open or that have broken shells. Open each mussel, discarding the empty half-shell. Loosen each mussel from its shell, and arrange the mussels on an ovenproof platter or rimmed baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate while making the sauce.
Mash 1 tablespoon butter with the flour until smooth; set aside. Melt the remaining tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the reserved mussel liquid, and bring to a boil. Whisk in the butter-and-flour mixture. Whisk in the cream, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Simmer until reduced by two-thirds and thickened. Remove the pan from the heat, and keep warm.
Heat the broiler. Position the rack 3 to 4 inches from the heat. Remove the mussels from the refrigerator, and spoon sauce over each one until well coated. Sprinkle with grated cheese, and place under the broiler until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately.