2 kg (about 48) black mussels, scrubbed and debearded
200 g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
250 ml white wine
1 sprig fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 ripe tomatoes, blanched, skinned and chopped
Heat 60 g of the butter in a large pot and fry the onion for about 2 minutes until golden.
Add the wine, thyme and bay leaves and bring to the boil. Add mussels, cover and boil until they open wide. Discard any which remain shut. Strain the sauce into a clean pot. Deshell the mussels and gently pull out any beards that remain.
Heat the remaining butter in a clean frying pan and gently fry the mussels. Add the garlic, tomato and parsley, and heat through. Serve hot with new potatoes. Serves 4
Stuffed Calamari a la Marseillaise
1 kg whole calamari (with tentacles),
well cleaned
olive oil, salt, milled black pepper
2 onions, finely chopped
100 g white bread
1 litre milk
2 ripe tomatoes, blanched, skinned
and diced 3 egg yolks 15 ml crushed garlic
250 ml white wine
125 ml water
100 g fresh white breadcrumbs
Set the oven at 180° C. Grease a baking dish. Cut off the calamari tentacles and chop finely. Clean the calamari tubes ready for stuffing.
Heat a little olive oil in a medium saucepan and fry the onion and calamari tentacles until golden.
Place the bread in a bowl, pour over the milk and soak.
Squeeze out the excess milk, and add the bread to the pan with the tomato, egg yolks and half the garlic and parsley. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
Fill the calamari tubes with the stuffing and sew closed with string, or fasten with skewers.
Place in the baking dish, pour in the white wine and water and season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the foil and heat the oven grill. Mix together the breadcrumbs, remaining garlic and parsley, sprinkle on top of the calamari and grill until golden brown. Serves 6
