Description
A comforting and decadent gratin combining tender mussels, creamy potatoes, and sweet carrots baked with a golden, cheesy crust.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450g) fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 large potatoes (about 1 lb), peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a large pot, bring white wine to a simmer. Add mussels, cover, and cook for 5-7 minutes until shells open. Discard any unopened mussels. Remove meat from shells and set aside; discard shells and reserve cooking liquid.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potato and carrot slices and cook for 3-4 minutes until just tender. Drain and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 minutes.
- Gradually whisk in reserved mussel cooking liquid, milk, and heavy cream. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens (about 5 minutes).
- Remove from heat and stir in Gruyère, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until smooth.
- Layer half the potato-carrot mixture in the prepared dish. Top with half the mussels. Pour half the cheese sauce over. Repeat layers.
- In a small bowl, mix panko breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Sprinkle over the top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown. Let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Notes
For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream. You can also use cooked shrimp or flaked white fish instead of mussels. Be careful not to overcook the mussels in the initial step to keep them tender.
Nutrition
- Calories: 485 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fat: 28 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Protein: 22 g