Ginger Apple Mussels
The ginger apple mussels worth cooking this September
Belgian mussel season is peaking, and most pots go the same way: white wine, shallot, done. This ginger apple mussels recipe keeps that shape but swaps the wine for Gem Juice Apple, so the broth picks up its acidity and warmth from ginger instead. A handful of apple matchsticks stirred in at the end keeps its bite. Same pot, same mussels, a different bottle open on the counter.
Why apple and ginger work here
Wine does two jobs in a mussel broth: it lifts the shallot and cuts through the butter. Gem Juice Apple does both, with ginger bringing the warmth wine used to carry and the apple bringing the acidity, crisp and clean rather than sharp. It tastes like a mussel pot that has been made a hundred times, just finished a little differently.
What you need
- 1 kg mussels, cleaned
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery or half a small fennel bulb, finely chopped
- a knob of butter
- 1 crisp Belgian apple, cut into matchsticks
- a thumb of fresh ginger, grated
- 6 cl Gem Juice Apple
- a splash of cream (optional)
- a handful of flat parsley, chopped
- black pepper
How to make it
- Melt the butter in a wide pot over medium heat and soften the shallot and celery or fennel for 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in the grated ginger and cook for another minute, until it smells warm and sharp.
- Pour in the Gem Juice Apple, bring it to a bubble and let it reduce for a minute.
- Tip in the mussels, cover the pot and steam for 5-6 minutes, shaking once, until the shells open.
- Stir in the apple matchsticks and the cream if using, just long enough to warm through.
- Discard any mussels that stayed shut, scatter with parsley and black pepper, and serve straight from the pot with fries or bread.
Tip: Add the apple matchsticks right at the end, off the heat if you can. A minute in the broth is enough to warm them through without losing the crunch.
Made with Gem Juice Apple. No added sugars, no preservatives, produced in Belgium.
