One of the most popular seafood dishes in France must be steamed mussels with fries. You will find moules frites in every kind of restaurant, from beachside cafés to, yes, Parisian brasseries. The seasonings do of course vary, but the most traditional preparation (moules marinière) steams the mussels in a broth of white wine, herbs, and some form of onions and/or garlic. The same ingredients serve as the jumping-off point for the fragrant green chile broth in this dish. Mild in terms of heat but heady with peppery flavor, a puree of roasted poblano chiles bestows the flavorful broth with a south-of-the-border twist that’s further enhanced and enriched by creamy coconut milk. Serving these mussels with good crusty bread—as well as the fries—is a must. Once you’ve finished the succulent mussels and crisp, salty fries, you’ll want that bread to sop up every last delicious drop of mouthwatering broth from your bowl.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4

　　2 tablespoons olive oil

　　1 medium Spanish onion, coarsely chopped

　　4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

　　2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded (see page 250), and pureed

　　2 cups bottled clam juice

　　1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk

　　1 cup fresh spinach leaves

　　1 to 2 tablespoons honey

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1 cup dry white wine

　　2 pounds cultivated black mussels, scrubbed and debearded

　　1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

　　Fries Americain (page 164; optional)

　　

Step 1

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the poblano puree and clam juice and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the coconut milk and simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Transfer the mixture to a blender, add the spinach and honey, season with salt and pepper, and blend the green chile broth until smooth.

　　

Step 3

Rinse out the pot and return to the stove over high heat. Add the wine, bring to a boil, and reduce by half, 3 minutes. Add the green chile broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the mussels, cover the pot, and cook until the mussels open, 4 to 5 minutes. Discard any that do not open.

　　

Step 4

Add the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the mussels and broth into bowls and serve with the fries on the side if desired.

　　Reprinted with permission from Bobby Flay's Bar Americain Cookbook by Bobby Flay with Stephanie Banyas and Sally Jackson, (C) 2011 Clarkson PotterBOBBY FLAY, a New York Times bestselling author, is the chef-owner of six fine dining restaurants, including Mesa Grill, Bar Americain, and Bobby Flay Steak, and an expanding roster of Bobby's Burger Palaces. He is the host of numerous popular cooking shows on Food Network, from the Emmy-winning Boy Meets Grill and Grill It! with Bobby Flay, to the Iron Chef America series, Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, and Food Network Star. Brunch @ Bobby's debuted on the Cooking Channel in fall 2010 and America's Next Great Restaurant debuted in March 2011 on NBC. This is his eleventh book. His website is BobbyFlay.com.