Often ranked among the 10 favorite dishes of the French, it is to the Belgians that we owe this culinary specialty, which is still very popular with their neighbors in Nord-Pas-de-Calais. However, since its appearance at the end of the 19th century, all regions of France have adopted this dish, which is now a must, especially during the Lille Braderie.
Even if the Belgians and the French dispute over its creation (just like that of chips), it seems established that the dish was served for the first time at the Liège fair in 1875. The recipe was developed by the family who invented the "baraques à frites", the ancestor of the food truck, which appeared at the same fair in Liège, where mussels could be bought to take away in 1838.
Although it was mainly eaten in Belgium in the 19th century, the mussel and Chips gradually became more democratic with the opening of the estaminet "La Friture Léon" in Brussels in 1893 (the first sign of today's Chez Léon restaurants) and, outside the Belgian borders, thanks to its spread in the guinguettes. In these popular balls where cooking was not really the priority, the dish appeared to be ideal because it was simple to prepare and easy to share.
Before even thinking about the sauce that can accompany this delicious seafood/potato fries duo, it is important to take care of the freshness and cooking of the mussels.
It is therefore recommended to eat them during the "R" months (September to December) and to leave them in the oven for between 5 and 10 minutes because, below this time, they will be difficult to open but, beyond that, their fleshy texture risks becoming rubbery.
As for quantity, the portion is generally 1 kg/person and 150 g of chips with, to make it all go down, an abbey lager or a glass of dry white wine (as when the dish was mostly eaten in fairs or open-air restaurants).
The most common recipe is for mussels marinière: wine, shallots, parsley and butter. For a lighter version - the dish has an average of 600 calories - you can opt for plain mussels. The mussels are steamed and simply garnished with a little butter, celery and leeks. Afterwards, depending on taste and appetite, many variations are possible, such as mussels with cream, beer, curry, garlic or "parquées", a Brussels recipe in which the mollusks are served raw with a mustard sauce, vinegar and water.
One last important point: mussels and fries taste even better when eaten with the fingers. So much the worse for sticky hands, to honor the very convivial dimension of this dish, we must forget the usual rules of propriety. Speaking of tradition, don't hesitate to eat it during the Braderie de Lille where, every year, about 500 tons of mussels and 30 tons of fries are served during the weekend!
Bon appétit.
Valérie from Comme des Français
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