Belgian Mussels and Fries

Mussels and fries are so loved in Belgium, they are considered the national dish. In actuality, the Frites alone could be considered the national dish since they are not only eaten by themselves, but are essential to other recipes as side dishes. Moules-Frites is just one example.

Frites - Belgian Fries

So, let’s start with the fries. While we know them as French fries here in the U.S., they are actually Belgian in origin. Back during WWI, a group of U.S. soldiers was encamped in southern Belgium, which is a French-speaking region. Since everyone was speaking French, the soldiers thought they were in France. When the locals served them thinly sliced fried potatoes, the soldiers nick-named them “French Fries” and the name stuck.

Belgian frites tend to be cut slightly larger than shoestring fries, but the secret to their superiority is that they are double-fried at different oil temperatures. This makes them tender inside and crunchy on the outside. Delicious! You can buy a cone of frites on the street accompanied by a number of dipping sauces, most commonly homemade mayonnaise (don’t gag until you try it; you may swear off ketchup for good). They are also seen next to a wide range of other Belgian foods.

A Belgian Frites Shop

Since real Belgian Frites are not easy to find in America, you can make your own at home without too much trouble. An electric deep-fryer is the easiest way to cook them but a deep pan with a deep-fat thermometer will work just as well.

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs. Idaho potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/3” by 1/3” by 3” sticks.

  • 3 inches in pan of vegetable oil (I prefer Canola, but use what you like best; no trans-fat, please).

  • Sprinkling of fine sea salt.

Preparation:

 1.    Soak potatoes in cold water for at least one hour and up to 12 hours. Drain and pat dry to prevent spattering.

2.    Heat oil in fryer or pan to 285º F. Line a baking pan with paper towels for draining.

3.    Fry potatoes in small batches (a little more than a cupful) for three to five minutes, until they are barely colored. Remove with slotted spoon to baking pan and arrange in a single layer. Let the oil come back to 285º before cooking the next round. Repeat until all potatoes are done. At this point, the frites can be set aside for as long as two hours before their second frying.

4.    When you get close to serving time, raise oil temperature to 360º F. Re-fry the frites, turning to cook evenly until they are golden brown and crispy.

5.    Drain, sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

While frites are often served plain, they can be served with ketchup or other types of sauces. The most common is homemade mayonnaise. To make your own:

Frites with Sauce

  • 1 cup sunflower or canola oil

  • 2 egg yolks

  • 1 Tb lemon juice

  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard

  • ¼ tsp salt

Using a hand-held blender or food processor, mix the ingredients until they thicken to your preferred consistency and serve.

And that’s all there is to it to make Belgium’s most most iconic food!

Mussels

Belgium’s national dish – Moules-Frites – has frites as a side dish alongside it. Mussels are popular in Belgium because they are raised in the coastal areas and are cheap compared to clams and oysters. Mussels have a pleasant briny seafood flavor and are prepared in many ways. I was in a café in Bruges once and they had more than a dozen preparations of mussels on the menu. Some are cooked with wine but I prefer the real deal – mussels cooked in Belgian ale. Here is my favorite recipe:

Moules Frites

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs. fresh mussels. Use within a day of buying them.

  • 2 Tb. Extra virgin olive oil

  • 2 Tb. unsalted butter

  • 1 Tb. Chopped garlic.

  • 1 small red onion, chopped.

  • 1 leek – white part only, chopped.

  • 1 shallot, chopped

  • 1 bottle (11.2 oz) of Belgian ale (You can use a variety of beers but Duvel is my favorite)

  • 1 tsp fresh thyme

  • 1 Tb flat-leaf parsley, chopped

  • 1 lemon – juiced fresh

  • ¼ tsp sea salt

  • Freshly-ground black pepper

  • 1 baguette (or more), cut into 1-inch diagonal sliced and toasted.

Preparation

1.    Rinse and sort through mussels, throwing out any with open, cracked or chipped shells. Shells should be tightly closed. Remove the “beards.” Wrap in a clean damp kitchen towel and keep refrigerated until ready to use.

2.    Reserve one tablespoon of the butter and add the rest of the butter/oil to a large pan or soup pot over medium heat.

3.    Cook the garlic, shallot, leek, onion and thyme for 2 minutes.

4.    Add the mussels and cook for about 1 minute.

5.    Add the beer, heat to boiling, then turn down heat and simmer for 8 minutes. Toss out any mussels that do not open.

6.    Add the parsley, lemon juice and remaining butter to the pan and toss gently.

7.    Scoop the mussels into serving bowls and pour pan sauce over each serving.

8.    Serve with frites and the toasted baguette slices to sop up the delicious sauce.

And there you have it – Belgium’s national dish, Moules-Frites.

Charlie GottenkienyComment