There’s absolutely nothing easier, more beautiful to serve than these gorgeous Mussels Marinière with cream and cider, steamed and sprinkled with fresh parsley. Making them is so easy that you will only wish all recipes where so easy and fun. But not everything about this recipe was easy. Taking a picture of them was the real challenge. Not because they were steaming hot or because the smell made my mouth watering but because my cat mouth was also watering I guess.

She keep jumping on the table trying to get close to my set-up, being so naughty and so endearing at the same time that if my hand was shaky while taking this picture please forgive me, I was laughing all the time and I’m new with handling cats. Not long ago we adopted a little kitten. We weren’t looking for one but it just happen. I found our black little angel in the forest and even if the original plan was to keep it till Monday (we found it in a Friday afternoon), we just couldn’t give him up anymore. Well I guess I’m about the only person who goes walk the dog and returns with a cat. But happy we did because he is such a beautiful addition to our little family and such a joy. And he gets along very well with our dog which is a bonus.

Now let’s go back to our Moules marinière , this appetizer recipe yields for 4 persons:

Ingredients for Mussels Marinière with cream and cider:

2 tbs butter

2 shallots chopped

1 clove of garlic chopped

A bouquet garni of parsley, thyme and bay leaves

200 ml crème fraiche

250 ml cider or dry white wine

2 kg mussels

1 tbs parsley finley chopped

Preperation for Mussels Marinière with cream and cider:

Heat the butter in a large pan and sauté the shallots. Add the garlic, and sauté 1 minute more. Add the bouquet garni, crème fraiche and cider and let it cook a few minutes. Add the mussels in the sauce and toss them around so they are covered with sauce. Cook the mussels with the lid on the pan for about 10 minutes. Scoop them with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate and remove the empty shells. Cook the sauce till half is left and season with pepper. Serve them with sauce and sprinkled with parsley.

Bon Appetite!