For company
Mussels with creamy white wine sauce
La Petite Ferme in the Franschhoek Valley: black mussels in a creamy white wine, thyme and garlic-butter sauce, finished with parsley, toasted baguette and lime — with Spier Chenin Blanc alongside on the South African table.
Recipe from La Petite Ferme, Franschhoek, credited by Cass to chef Neethling du Toit and Food & Home South Africa, July 2017. Cass: ‘I don't bother, I buy them cleaned from Woolworths.’ The dish photograph is an AI-generated serving illustration. Supplementary cooking note: wine reduction does not guarantee that all alcohol has evaporated. Buy mussels from a reputable supplier, keep refrigerated and follow the packaging instructions; for live mussels, discard broken shells and any open shells that do not close when tapped before cooking. Discard unopened shells after cooking. The supplied 3-minute steaming time is approximate, not a guarantee of safe doneness; cook thoroughly and serve promptly. Homemade garlic butter and wine notes below are supplementary, not part of the magazine attribution.
Method
- 01
Clean the mussels (I don't bother, I buy them cleaned from Woolworths).
- 02
In a large saucepan over medium heat, sweat the onions and thyme leaves in a little oil until the onions are soft and translucent.
- 03
Next, deglaze the pan with the white wine and cook over medium heat until the liquid is reduced by half and the alcohol has evaporated. Then, add the cream and cook over low heat, another 20 minutes.
- 04
Stir in the garlic butter. Season to taste and remove from heat.
- 05
Finally, steam the mussels in a pan of salted water, covered by a lid, until the shells open, about 3 minutes. Discard any unopened mussels.
- 06
Add the mussels to the sauce, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve with toasted baguette slices alongside and lime wedges for squeezing.
In the glass
Spier Signature Chenin Blanc
Cass chose Spier Chenin Blanc; the unoaked Signature is our suggested bottling. Spier’s 2024 producer notes describe green guava, pear, ripe peach and lime-zest aromas, juicy tropical fruit, balanced acidity and a lingering finish. The freshness is a lovely counterpoint to the cream and garlic butter, while the fruit and citrus complement the mussels and lime — a pairing suggestion, not a rating from Cass. Serve chilled. These tasting notes refer to 2024; the retailer’s bottle photograph accompanies a 2025 listing, and vintages may differ. About Spier: earlier cookbook content mentions its Chardonnay, but not a dedicated estate history. This Stellenbosch estate traces its first title deed to 1692, granted to Arnoud Jansz; by 1754, more than 30,000 vines were growing there. The Enthoven family has guided Spier since 1993. Its heritage account also recognises the San and Khoikhoi history of the land before the farm, and the legacy of slavery in early Cape wine farming. A long South African wine story, with Chenin Blanc bringing a bright, welcoming glass to this Franschhoek-inspired meal.
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