Muslinger med peberrod Mussels with Horseradish Cream Serves 2 to 4 The horseradish plant in our garden is out of control--it's easily two feet tall and three feet wide--but I love this fiery root that spreads mysteriously underground. The Scandinavians use horseradish creatively, in all sorts of ways. Here, in a Nordic riff on the classic French moules marinières , mussels are steamed in caraway-scented aquavit and finished off with a zesty dose of fresh horseradish. 2 tablespoons butter 1 large shallot, minced 11⁄4 cups aquavit 2 pounds mussels, cleaned 3 tablespoons heavy cream 2 to 3 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish, depending on the pungency, plus shaved horseradish for garnish 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley Freshly ground white pepper Melt the butter in a large stockpot over medium-low heat, add the shallot, and sauté until soft but not brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the aquavit, then add the mussels. Cover the pot, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook until the mussels open wide, 5 to 7 minutes, depending on their size. Turn off the heat and discard any mussels that didn't open. With a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels to a large serving bowl. Bring the cooking liquid in the pot to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Lower the heat, add the cream, horseradish, and parsley, and simmer until the flavors blend, about 2 minutes. Generously grind white pepper over the top just before you pour off the sauce. Pour the sauce over the mussels in the serving bowl. Serve garnished with shaved horseradish. Excerpted from Fire and Ice: Classic Nordic Cooking by Darra Goldstein All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
