Mussels au Gratin

Mussels Au Gratin works perfectly as an appetizer, particularly when the main course is fish, as well as a light lunch. You’ll appreciate the simple ingredients used in this recipe and are sure to love the crunchy texture the panko breadcrumbs give to the mussels, making them even more of a pleasure to eat. Be sure to use a quality Cheddar cheese when making this, as it makes a big difference in the resulting flavor. We recommend Cabot Private Stock Cheddar or Cabot New York Vintage Cheddar.

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons Cabot Unsalted Butter
• 1/4 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 pound mussels, scrubbed, beards removed, patted dry
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, divided
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, divided
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 ounce Cabot Private Stock Cheddar or Cabot New York Vintage Cheddar, grated (about 1/4 cup)

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 475 degrees F.
2. Melt butter, in medium skillet. Pour 2 tablespoons of melted butter into a small bowl; add bread crumbs, tossing to combine. Set aside.
3. Add oil to butter remaining in skillet and increase heat to high.
4. Add mussels, shallot and garlic and sauté until mussels begin to open.
5. Add half of parsley and tarragon and sauté for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Add cream, wine and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese; cook until liquid is reduced by half.
7. Transfer mussels to ovenproof baking dish; sprinkle top with reserved bread crumbs and Cheddar. Bake for 3 to 4 minutes or until browned. Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and herbs.

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: Cabot Creamery Cooperative
Recipe courtesy of Stephanie's on Newbury.