Recipe: Franco's Steamed Mussels

Landlocked St. Louis may not be near a beach, but the taste of the sea is as close as Soulard, where Franco’s Matthew Abeshouse puts a modern spin on a bistro classic by adding sweet cipollini onions and briny sea beans to steamed mussels. Up the French factor by serving the mussels with their traditional accompaniment, pommes frites.

Steamed Mussels
Courtesy of Franco’s Matthew Abeshouse
2 servings

2 Tbsp. butter, divided                      
2 cipollini onions, peeled
3¾ cups vegetable stock, divided
4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 Tbsp. diced shallots
¼ cup sliced leeks
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
½ cup white wine
¼ tsp. smoked paprika
1 oz. sea beans
1 Tbsp. each chopped parsley, chives, chervil and tarragon
1 lb. Prince Edward Island mussels, cleaned
1 baguette, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small sauté pan. Peel the onions, add them to the pan and sauté until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes. 

• Pour ¾ cup vegetable stock into the pan (or enough to come halfway up the sides of the onions). Place the pan in the oven and roast until tender, about 12 minutes. 

• Allow the onions to cool, then quarter them.

• In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the shallots, leeks and garlic and sauté until soft and translucent.

• Add the white wine, bring to a boil and reduce by half.

• Add the roasted cipollinis, the remaining 3 cups stock, paprika, sea beans, herbs, remaining 1 tablespoon butter and mussels. Allow the liquid to simmer or lightly boil.

• Cover the pot and steam the mussels until they open, about 5 to 7 minutes. 

• While the mussels are cooking, brush the bread slices with the remaining olive oil and lightly toast.

• Remove the pot from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

• Evenly distribute the mussels, vegetables and stock between two large bowls, discarding any unopened mussels. 

• Serve with the toasted bread.

Pommes Frites
Courtesy of Franco’s Matthew Abeshouse
4 servings

4 large russet potatoes, peeled
Vegetable oil, for frying
Salt and pepper

• Cut the potatoes into ½-inch by ½-inch sticks.

• Soak the potatoes in a large bowl full of ice water for 1 hour. 

• In a large stockpot or deep frying pan fitted with a thermometer, heat the oil to 275 degrees.

• Blanch the potatoes in the oil for 7 minutes; drain on a paper towel. Allow the frites to cool to room temperature.

• Heat the oil to 375 degrees. Fry the frites a second time for 3 minutes or until golden brown. 

• Remove to a paper towel and immediately season to taste with salt and pepper.