Mussels with Duck Fat Frites With @TheMaineFoodies

Preparation

For the Mussels:

1. Clean and rinse the mussels, discarding any that are open and won’t close when tapped.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat.
3. Add the shallot and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened.
4. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
5. Pour in the white wine and lemon juice and bring to a simmer.
6. Add the mussels, cover, and steam for 5–7 minutes, shaking the pot occasionally, until the mussels open.
7. Stir in the fresh parsley and season with salt and pepper as needed.
8. Serve immediately with crusty bread (GF!) to soak up the broth.

For the Duck Fat Frites:

1. Wash and cut potatoes into desired frites size. Blanch the frites in batches in 200*F duck fat until the frites are tender and a cake tester can be inserted with no resistance (5-7 minutes).
2. Drain the blanched frites and cool completely. Fry the frites in batches in 350*F duck fat and cook until golden brown and crispy.
3. Drain and season the fries with salt.

For the Garlic Aioli:

1. In a bain marie or quart container, combine the egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice, and garlics. Blend with a stick blender until smooth. While the stick blender is running, slowly drizzle in the oil. Adjust the consistency with water if needed. Taste and season with salt and lemon juice if needed.

For the Rosemary Salt:

1. Fry the rosemary on the stem in a 350*F fryer until bright green (about 20 second). Once cool, pick the rosemary. In a Robot Coupe, buzz the salt with the picked, fried rosemary.

For the Build:

1. Place mussels with sauce in a bowl. Plate the duck fat frites on a separate plate, sprinkled with rosemary salt and drizzled with garlic aioli, as needed. Enjoy!

Ingredients

For the Mussels:

• 2 pounds local mussels (we usually use Bangs Island mussels)
• 2–3 tablespoons butter
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup dry white wine
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt + pepper to taste

For the Frites:

• Russet/Idaho Potato: 4ea
• Duck Fat: 4qt
• Kosher Salt: as needed

For the Garlic Aioli:

• Egg Yolks: 2ea
• Dijon Mustard: 12g
• Lemon Juice: 25g
• Garlic, grated: 10g
• Garlic, roasted: 10g
• Neutral Oil: 400g
• Kosher Salt: as needed
• Water: as needed

For the Rosemary Salt:

• Kosher Salt: 1 pint
• Rosemary, fresh: ½ bunch

For the Build:

• Frites: 150g
• Garlic Aioli: 3fl oz
• Mussels: 2lbs