Recipes: Moules Marinieres au Muscadet | Cabillaud aux Pommes de Terre

Ingredients

1kg well washed and brushed mussels

100g butter

1 large shallot

A small sprig of thyme

Small handful of chopped parsley

250ml Muscadet wine.

Salt and pepper to season

Method

In a large pan, put the finely chopped shallot in the melting butter, cook gently on a medium heat. Add the thyme and Muscadet, season with salt and pepper. Turn up the heat and bring to the boil for two minutes. Add in the mussels and cover the pan. Cook over a high heat, shaking the pan several times, until all the mussels have opened, this will take 5 to 7 minutes.

Take out the mussels and place in a large serving dish and discard any unopened mussels. Remove the thyme from the juice and reduce the liquid to half. Pour the remaining liquid over the mussels and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Cabillaud aux Pommes de Terre (serves four)

Ingredients

1.2 kg of fresh cod

275g back bacon

800g potatoes

100g butter

800g fresh (peeled) tomatoes

200ml Muscadet

Salt and pepper to season

Method

Butter the dish; cover the bottom with the bacon, then put on a layer of thinly sliced potatoes, season with the salt and pepper. Lay the fish on top, then cover with the rest of the bacon and sliced potatoes. Put the tomatoes which have been diced on top of this, pour the wine over, season again. Then cover the dish with foil. Put in a pre-heated oven at 180C for 20 minutes, take the foil off, and leave in the oven for another 15 minutes. Serve hot.

n Virginie Brouard is owner of the P’tite Folie restaurants on Frederick Street, 0131 225 7983, and Randolph Place, 0131-225 8678, www.laptitefolie.co.uk