Belgian style mussels with white wine and blue cheese

by Ed Halmagyi

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 Tbsp plain flour
  • 1kg black mussels
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 500ml white wine
  • 1 chicken stock cube
  • 100g blue cheese
  • ½ bunch parsley, chopped finely
  • 2 cloves garlic, sliced finely
  • juice 2 lemons
  • crusty bread, to serve

Instructions

1 Place the butter and flour in a large heavy-based pot and set over a moderate heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and resembles wet sand. Add the mussels, bay leaves, wine and stock cube, turn the heat to high, and cook for 5 minutes, or until all the mussels have opened.
2 Stir in the cheese, parsley, garlic and lemon juice. Serve with crusty bread.

PROFESSIONAL TIP: Always de-beard mussels pulling upwards, not down.