Australia has wonderful seafood and simple recipes that allow the flavour and quality of the seafood to be showcased are often the best. Unsalted cultured butter perfectly complements mussels by absorbing some of the saltiness of the mussels and providing creaminess. Live pot-ready mussels should be used such as those from Kinkawooka in South Australia.Wine match Brokenwood Forest Edge Chardonnay 2011, Orange, NSW
What an absolutely classic dish. Instead of the tangy white wine you sometimes find in the dish, here we have this beautiful cultured butter, which builds such creaminess. This calls for a different kind of wine compared to the white wine sauce… something a little richer, with more body and oomph. You could think about a barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc, but I’m tempted to lean towards a Chardonnay and, seeing as we’re in NSW for this dish, let’s stick with one of the excellent examples from Orange. Chardonnay has the creaminess to match the butter, but also the acid on the finish to keep things clean. This complex example from Brokenwood has just the right combination of body and balance.
-Dan Coward