Moules-frites

Moules marinière in Belgium

The ways in which the mussels are cooked in the dish can vary significantly. Some common variants include:

• Moules marinière: Probably the most common and internationally recognisable recipe,[8] Moules marinière includes white wine, shallots, parsley and butter.[9]
• Moules natures: The mussels are steamed with celery, leeks and butter.[2]
• Moules à la crème: Another common recipe, thickened with flour and cream.[2]
• Moules parquées: A dish, probably originating in Brussels, of raw mussels on the half-shell, served with a lemon-mustard-sauce.
• Moules à la bière: Mussels cooked in a sauce containing beer instead of white wine.[10]
• Moules à l'ail: Mussels cooked with sliced or minced garlic.[2]

Less commonly, fusion variants are seen in which the stock may be flavoured with non-local ingredients such as Espelette pepper or Pernod liquor.[2] They can also be served with "Mosselsaus", a sauce that is made with mayonnaise, mustard and vinegar.

In various forms, frites or friet play an important role in Belgian culture and cuisine. Within Belgium, bintje potatoes are generally preferred as a basis to make fries because of their high starch content.[11][2] They are generally double-fried (fried, left to cool and then fried again) in order to make them both moist in the core and crispy on the outside.[11]

As a dish, the moules and the frites are usually served separately, to avoid the fries becoming soggy in the sauce. Often, the moules are served in the pan used to cook them.[12] A second dish is generally provided for the discarded mussel shells.