Condiment
Citrus-Saffron Wine Base for Mussels
Simmer the aromatics together to make a measured base for a separately prepared mussel dish. This home version reduces the wine without a flambé step.
- Yield
- 1 batch
- Cuisine
- French-inspired
Bring it to the table
Measure the wine
Use the listed millilitres rather than counting bottles of different sizes.
At the table
Use in a complete cooked mussel recipe, or cool promptly and refrigerate for later cooking.
Before you start
Gather your ingredients.
Full quantities and serving adjustments are in the recipe card below.
See the ingredient checklist
- 250 g shallots — chopped
- 50 g celery — chopped
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 25 g garlic — peeled
- 3/4 tsp curry powder
- 3/4 tsp saffron threads
- 1 lemon — zest only
- 1 orange — zest only
- 750 ml dry white wine
- 1 small bouquet garni — thyme, bay leaf and a piece of leek tied together
- water — for blanching garlic; drained
A few useful notes.
This is a cooking base, not a complete mussel dish; shellfish are not included in the ingredient list.
It contains wine and is not described as alcohol-free.
The cooking plan
How to make Citrus-Saffron Wine Base for Mussels.
Briefly blanch the garlic in boiling water, then drain and chop.
Bring the measured wine to a steady simmer in a saucepan. Add shallots, celery, olive oil, pepper, garlic, curry, saffron, citrus zests and the herb bundle.
Simmer gently for about 10 minutes. Remove the herb bundle. The aromatic vegetables remain part of the base.
Use in a separate complete mussel recipe. If not using immediately, cool promptly in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours at 40°F or colder.
Let’s cook
The full recipe.
Check off ingredients as you get them ready.
Changing servings? The ingredient list scales automatically. Adjust quantities named in the steps to match, and choose pans and cooking times for your batch.
Citrus-Saffron Wine Base for Mussels
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Ingredients
250 g Shallot chopped- 50 g celery chopped
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ¾ tsp ground black pepper
- 25 g garlic peeled
- ¾ tsp curry powder
- ¾ tsp saffron threads
- 1 lemon zest only
- 1 orange zest only
- 750 ml dry white wine
- 1 small bouquet garni thyme, bay leaf and a piece of leek tied together
- water for blanching garlic; drained
Equipment
Equipment images are illustrative. Exact products may vary.
Instructions
- Briefly blanch the garlic in boiling water, then drain and chop.
- Bring the measured wine to a steady simmer in a saucepan. Add shallots, celery, olive oil, pepper, garlic, curry, saffron, citrus zests and the herb bundle.
- Simmer gently for about 10 minutes. Remove the herb bundle. The aromatic vegetables remain part of the base.
- Use in a separate complete mussel recipe. If not using immediately, cool promptly in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours at 40°F or colder.
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!A couple of useful answers.
Does simmering make it alcohol-free?
No alcohol-free claim is made for this wine-based preparation.
Are mussels cooked in this recipe?
No. Use the base as part of a separate complete shellfish recipe.
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