Zeeuwse Mosselen (Dutch Steamed Mussels with White Wine)

About This Recipe

Zeeuwse Mosselen is a real, traditional Dutch dish, known as Dutch Steamed Mussels with White Wine. Fresh Zeeland mussels steamed in white wine with celery, leek and onion, served with a big bowl of fries.\n\nMussels from Zeeland's coastal waters have been a Dutch culinary staple for centuries, and mosselen met friet (mussels with fries) remains one of the country's most beloved casual restaurant meals, especially in the autumn mussel season.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Dutch home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 kgfresh mussels(scrubbed and debearded)
• 3 tbspbutter
• 1leek(sliced)
• 2celery stalks(sliced)
• 1yellow onion(diced)
• 4garlic cloves(minced)
• 300 mldry white wine
• 2bay leaves
• 0.25 tspblack pepper
• 3 tbspchopped fresh parsley
• 500 gfrites (Belgian-style fries)(to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Sort the mussels

   Discard any mussels that are cracked or don't close when tapped.

2. 2

   Cook the aromatics

   Melt butter in a very large pot and sauté leek, celery, onion and garlic until softened, about 6 minutes.

3. 3

   Add liquid

   Pour in white wine, add bay leaves and pepper, and bring to a boil.

4. 4

   Steam the mussels

   Add all the mussels, cover tightly, and steam over high heat for 6 to 8 minutes, shaking the pot occasionally, until the mussels have opened.

5. 5

   Discard closed shells

   Discard any mussels that haven't opened after cooking.

6. 6

   Serve

   Ladle the mussels and broth into large bowls, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and serve immediately with a side of hot fries and mayonnaise.

Variations

• •

  A creamy version stirs a splash of heavy cream into the broth just before serving.

• •

  Some restaurants add a spoonful of mustard to the broth for extra depth.

• •

  A tomato-based broth version swaps the wine for crushed tomatoes and paprika.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions