Belgium is one of the greatest beer-drinking countries in the world. This tiny nation produces some 130 beers. The Belgians are also intrepid mussel eaters, and their boats haul in an export mussel crop second to none. To combine these two Belgian passions, what better recipe than this one, which cooks the mussels in root vegetables and beer?

Cut the peeled carrot and turnip into neat 5 mm cubes. In a large saucepan or wide pan with a lid, heat the butter and saute the carrot and turnip without browning until well greased and shiny, then add the onion and turn a few seconds. Add the beer, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer until the root vegetables are softened and the beer is reduced to nothing and has slightly caramelised on the base of the pan. Now add the scrubbed mussels, pepper them, cover, raise the heat again and steam the mussels until they open, shaking the pot or turning the top mussels to the bottom at least once.

As soon as the mussels open, throw in the parsley, stir two or three times and serve immediately in wide soup bowls. Add a ladle of vegetables and juice to the base of the bowl. Pepper as with moules marinieres, do not expect everybody to eat all the soup.

Serves 6

Scrape and clean the mussels thoroughly, removing the beards and discarding any broken or open ones. Wash them in several waters.

Chop the onions, shallots and celery finely. In a very deep saucepan, melt the butter. Add the mussels and stir. Pour in the beer, add the pepper and very little salt, cover the saucepan and cook the mussels over a medium flame until they have all opened.

Remove the mussels, reserving the liquid. Open the mussels, leaving them on the half shell, and layer them in a wide, semi-shallow serving dish.

Strain the liquid into a smaller saucepan. Mix the cornflour into a paste with a little water and add it to the liquid. Heat this to just under simmering point. Beat the egg yolks and cream and gradually beat in a little hot liquid. Pour the mixture into the saucepan, whisking all the time, until it thickens: it MUST NOT boil.

Check the seasoning, then pour the sauce over the mussels, and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: A Taste of the Belgian Provinces, Enid Gordon and Midge Shirley (published by The Tuesday Group, rue Frans Merjay, 1060 Brussels).

Clean the mussels. Melt the butter in a pan. Chop the onion and fry it in the butter. Add the wine and some celery leaves and pepper. Add the mussels and cook them on high heat until they open. Remove the mussels and throw the empty shells away. Put the mussels in a dish and keep warm.
Pour the cream in the pan and add the chopped parsley. Boil for a few moments until slightly thickened. Pour the sauce over the mussels and serve at once with French loaves.

4 servings.

Source: my collection

Scrape and clean the mussels, removing the beards and discarding any broken or open ones, and wash them under running water several times. Put the mussels in a deep, wide pan with 1 dl (3,3 fl. oz.) water, salt, pepper, and the bouquet garni. Cover and cook over brisk heat until all the mussels have opened.

Remove the mussels and shell them, reserving the flesh. Melt 30 g of butter in a frying pan and saute the mussels in it for 2-3 minutes, then flamb? with the brandy and keep warm (but take care not to cook them further). Break the eggs into a bowl with the cream, salt and pepper to taste, and whisk them lightly with a fork. Melt the remaining butter in a pan, pour in the eggs and stir with a wooden spoon over gentle heat until the eggs are set but still soft. Fold in the mussels and the chopped herbs, and serve piping hot.

Remarks: 4 servings.

Source: A Taste of the Belgian Provinces, Enid Gordon and Midge Shirley (published by The Tuesday Group, rue Frans Merjay, 1060 Brussels).

Scrape and clean the mussels thoroughly, then put them in a wide, deep pan with the wine, shallots and parsley. Cook over medium heat until the mussels have opened.

Drain the mussels when they have cooled down a little, but reserve the liquid. Shell them and chop them finely.

Chop the onion and celery finely and cook them gently in 30 g (1 oz.) butter until translucent. Strain the mussel liquid, add 2 tb of it to the vegetables, and simmer until all the liquid has evaporated.

In another pan, make a roux with 30 g (1 oz.) of butter and 1 tb of flour, add 1 dl (3,3 fl. oz.) of the mussel liquid and 2 dl (6,6 fl. oz.) warm milk, and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the sauce is smooth and thick. Add the chopped mussels, onion and celery to the sauce and beat in gradually 3 egg yolks and the lemon juice. Check the seasoning, bring gently to the boil, then turn off the heat and let the mixture cool a little.

Pour the mixture onto a cold slab or a very large plate, allow to go thoroughly cold, then cut the paste into egg-sized pieces. Beat the egg whites until very stiff. Roll each egg-sized bit of paste in your hands and shape into oval patties. Roll these in flour, dip them into the egg whites, roll in breadcrumbs, and fry in oil until golden and crisp.

Remarks: 4 servings.

Source: A Taste of the Belgian Provinces, Enid Gordon and Midge Shirley (published by The Tuesday Group, rue Frans Merjay, 1060 Brussels).