Denmark: Trine’s Moules Frites

My sister Trine makes the best moules frites, so whenever we’re together I’ll try to convince her to cook me some. Luckily, she’s very easy to convince, so the challenge is usually to find fresh mussels. The fishmonger is quite far away, so I usually rely on the not very reliable supply in the grocery store.

Last week, the fresh mussels happened to be sold out every time I was there, and as the end of my Denmark visit was approaching rapidly, I got quite desperate, because no way I would leave without my dose of moules frites. One day, I therefore decided to call the grocery store early in the morning and ask for fresh mussels. They had 3 packs left, so I asked them to put aside 2 packs for me. Finally moules frites was going to happen!

Trine’s recipe is top secret, so if she tells you, she would have to kill you, but from my observations, I can reveal that it includes fennel, dill and lots of white wine. After all the ingredients have been simmering together for long enough to really bring out the flavors, she would add the mussels and cook them until they’re done and still perfectly tender. The stock is so good that I usually save some for the day after and eat it as soup. Along with the mussels, she makes her own frites, French fries, and aioli, and if there’s a Leffe in the fridge, we’ll drink that with the mussels.