PEI Mussels in Carta Fata

By / Food / April 26th, 2021 / 1

By Marc Lepine of Atelier 

This is an adapted version of what you can find on the Atelier menu at the moment. 

The Cara Fata cooking foil can be substituted with parchment paper as in ‘en papillote’  or more simply, the mussels can be added right into the pot to finish cooking.

Serves 4

To make the broth:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 leek (sliced)

2 stalks lemongrass (chopped) 

2 tbsp ginger (chopped)

2 cloves garlic (chopped)

1 Tbsp coriander seeds

1 Tbsp fennel seeds 

1 Tbsp red chili flakes

1 Tbsp black peppercorns

1 Tbsp pink peppercorns

1 Tbsp dried oregano

1 Tbsp salt

500ml dry white wine 

75ml fish sauce

Juice of 1 lime

Instructions: 

In a deep pot, warm olive oil over medium heat, then add all ingredients except wine, fish sauce, and lime juice

Cook for 3-4 minutes while stirring, or until the aromatics are very strong

Add wine, fish sauce, and lime juice and bring to a simmer for a few minutes

Remove from heat and allow broth to cool completely

To assemble:

2 lbs sustainable PEI mussels (cleaned and de-bearded) 

1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved)

I bunch cilantro (stems removed) 

Carta Fata paper

Butcher twine

Lay out 4 pieces of 50cm x 50cm sheet of Carta foil over shallow bowls

Ladle 200 ml of the broth in the centre of each piece, and split the mussels between them

Add the cherry tomatoes and cilantro sprigs, then tie the packages at the top with butcher twine 

Cook the packages either in a dry pan over medium high heat, or in the oven 

Remove from heat when mussels are open

Carefully open the Carta package and pour contents into a bowl to serve 

About Marc Lepine & Atelier

Chef Marc Lepine spent time working in Toronto, France, and Italy before moving to Ottawa in 2001 with the intent to eventually open a restaurant. He received his sommelier certification from Algonquin College and spent 6 years working as executive chef for the Courtyard Restaurant, where he was twice named ‘Ottawa Chef of the Year’ by the Canadian Culinary Federation. Marc opened Atelier n 2008 and it was named one of Canada’s Best New Restaurants by enRoute Magazine. In February 2012, and then again in February 2016, Marc won the Canadian Culinary Championship. In 2018, he was named ‘Canada’s Most Innovative Chef’ by Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants magazine.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Looking at the small things that make life great and the people who create them.

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