# What to make to accompany Mussels in Wine Sauce?



## jstarr

I plan on making Steamed Mussels in a Wine Broth.  What else should I make to accompany the mussels to complete this meal?

I was thinking of french baguette and a vegetable.

Any ideas?

Thanks


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## quicksilver

Any long pasta, al dente and finished in the sauce, and the rest of your idea. Definately need a bread mop.
Sound yummy, jstarr


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## JMediger

Mmmm ... we love just a simple salad with lots of good crusty, toasted bread to soak up the broth.  If you really want a veggie, I would think asparagus would be a good side.


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## jstarr

In addition:  How many pounds of mussels would you make for 2?


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## Jeekinz

You can halve some grape tomatoes and add them to the pot....some thyme sprigs.  I can't think of a veggie that would really accompany them.


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## ChefJune

The classic accompaniment is French fries. (In France they're caled "frites.")  You could serve them over linguine, or have plenty of bread on hand to sop up the juices.

A mixed green salad with a lemony vinaigrette goes well, too.


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## Maverick2272

Um, just a guess but you aren't referring to McDonald's type french fries... right?


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## Glorie

I love to serve steamed mussels or clams with a good crusty loaf of sourdough, zucchini and a good white wine, mmmmmmmm


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## Glorie

Also - have you ever added pesto to your sauce? It's a really good accompanyment!


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## BreezyCooking

This is probably too late for your meal tonight, but I never bother serving anything with steamed mussels (regardless of the sauce) except a nice mixed green salad with a simple vinegarette dressing & a nice loaf of warm crusty artisinal-type bread - round or a baguette.

As far as the amount of mussels, hubby & I are real mussel lovers & find that 2 pounds makes a perfect meal for the two of us.  If you do happen to have a few left over, just pick out the meats & save them to toss into a clam or mixed seafood sauce to serve over spaghetti.


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## Constance

I would like a good pasta with that, along with spinach salad and garlic bread.


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## quicksilver

Constance said:


> I would like a good pasta with that, along with spinach salad and garlic bread.


 
That's perfect, Constance!


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## jstarr

It's not too late.  I'm making the meal on Friday.  

I think I'm going to go the route of a mixed green salad, sweet potato fries and toasted crusty bread.  What would you guys put in the mixed salad?


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## flukx

I was also going to say French Fries - very common with mussels in France


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## kadesma

jstarr said:


> It's not too late.  I'm making the meal on Friday.
> 
> I think I'm going to go the route of a mixed green salad, sweet potato fries and toasted crusty bread.  What would you guys put in the mixed salad?


I would do a simple little salad of lets say either butter lettuce or arugala, with just some home made butter garlic crutons and shavings of parmesan cheese,salt and pepper..easy, not over powering in taste just a nice compliment to your mussels. I'd dress with just lemon and evoo
kadesma


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## BreezyCooking

I would simply make it easy on yourself & just make a simple salad of mixed greens - whatever strikes your fancy at the market.  No need to get fancy-schmancy - heck even a couple of bags of assorted salad greens are perfectly acceptable.  Add whatever additions/garnishes you like, but keep it very simple to complement the simple elegance of the mussels.  I'd go with a very basic vinegarette dressing, & perhaps some grated parmesan grated on top, but that would be it for me.

As far as your potato choice, personally I really can't see sweet potato fries & mussels.  Sweet potatoes & seafood have never seemed to have any affinity for me whatsoever.  If I were you, I'd go with plain old shoestring potatoes.  No need to make them from scratch - just buy a frozen name-brand & be sure to bake them until they're nice & crispy.

But again - just my personal opinion.


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## padams2359

It depends on how full you want to be.  If you are looking for the lite (not necessarily fat free) option, go with bread and salad.  If you want a filler, go with the pasta with some sort of cream or cheese sauce.  I don't mean Mac & Cheese.  I have a recipe from a restaurant from many, many years ago.  It is simple, but very good, and filling.
 
1        8oz Velveeta (yes Velveeta, not cheddar.  Fast and creamy).
1        4oz Sour Cream
1        Tsp Italian Seasoning
½  Tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
2        Tbls Butter
1        Sm Onion, finely chopped
1        Tsp Minced Fresh Garlic
1        lbs Linguine
 
Start water for pasta.
 
Melt Butter on Med High, Sauté Onions until clear, add garlic and Italian Seasoning.  Cook approximately 1 minute.  Reduce heat to medium, and add Velveeta.  When melted, add Black Pepper and Sour Cream and reduce heat to low.  Stir until mixed.   Pour over pasta and serve immediately.   I also use this for Stuffed Baked Potatoes, but add ½ cup bacon bits.  
 
I have used this with clams, shrimp and oysters, and it is all good.  Simple, but filling.


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## Bigjim68

I would serve a good crusty bread, a simple salad.  I think those packaged salad greens are one of the 7 wonders of the cooking world.  Maybe some good cheese.  Normally a Muscadet wine with shellfish, but the wine should be compatible with  the sauce.  It is the preparation, not the ingredients that determine the wine.  This is one of my favorite light meals.  My Costco sells mussells in 3 pound bags over the weekend.  For me, this is a serving for 2, any left over go into next days seafood pasta.


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## BreezyCooking

Great minds think alike BigJim!!!


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## jstarr

What kind of white wine would you guys use, and how do I make the dipping bread?


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## Bigjim68

I don't know just what is in your wine sauce, but assuming a white wine butter garlic sauce of some sort, I would probably use a dry sov blanc, or unoaked dry chardonnay, or something similar.  Muscadet may work, but they can be flinty dry.  I don't think I would have a problem with a Muscadet to drink with the dish.  If you are making a red (marinara or similar sauce) I would be thinking of a Chianti or maybe even a Rioja.  Tastes are different, and the above suits my taste.  Dipping bread is any bread with the substance and body to survive the sauce.  Most supermarkets carry fairly decent breads in the deli section.  Get one of the hard crust breads.  Lots of them have Artisan, Tuscan, or something similar in the name.


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## BreezyCooking

As far as the wine, any dry white that you wouldn't mind drinking will work just fine. When I do "white" sauces for seafood I usually use a chablis or a pinot grigio.

As far as the bread, I'm a bit confused re: what you mean by "making the dipping bread". Just buy a nice crusty loaf of artisinal-type bread - oval, round, or a baguette & serve it with the meal - with or without some spreadable room-temp butter. You weren't planning on making your own bread from scratch today for this, were you?


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## Bigjim68

Great minds really do think alike.  I drink and use the Pinot Grigios.  A caution with Chablis, it also comes in a sweet cheap wine, not the same thing as rear Chablis.  Chablis is a wine growing region, and it is not in California.


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## BreezyCooking

No worries - I do know that the California jug Chablis aren't the same as the good imports.  BUT - that said, I ALWAYS have a jug of Gallo Chablis on the premises.  It's definitely not sweet (at least not to my taste), & is terrific for steaming shellfish (mussels, clams, lobster), & is drinkable, which is always the basic standard I use for wines I cook with.


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## quicksilver

My first preference for light/sweet seafood is chenin blanc. Second choice is pinot grigio.
For richer/meater, Chardonnay.
But whatever, make sure it's something you like to drink.


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## jstarr

I have a recipe that calls for 3 pounds of mussels.  How would I upgrade the ingredients in the recipe for 4 pounds?


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## BreezyCooking

There are 3 ways you can approach this, depending mostly on your cooking "personality" - lol!!

1) Just use the ingredients "as is" - one extra pound of mussels really isn't a whole lot to throw things really askew.

2)  Just add/eyeball a little extra ingredients to the mix to cover the extra pound of mussels.

3) If you really want to be technical, divide the 3-pound-mussel ingredient amounts by 3, then add an extra third to the recipe.


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