The national mood shifted over the weekend as swiftly as a weather front from gloom in lockdown to hope of a gradual return to public life.  A nagging question remains: will wearing a mask and observing social distancing be enough protection from a potent virus?  With facts changing every day in the news, my response is to become more proactive in the kitchen.

In short, my comfort zone now includes nutrient-rich foods.  Michael Pollan is my coach, and I faithfully follow his basic rule to eat fresh food, not too much and mostly plants.  When tempted to stray, the immortal words of French food philosopher, Brillat-Savarin, ‘you are what you eat’, remind me that a strong immune system is my first line of defense against the enemy.

Brillat-Savarin’s late 19th century diet appears rarefied by today’s standards. but it was remarkably disciplined.  He ate few carbs, avoided sugar and advocated for vegetables and fruits. His idea of an omelet filling is a combination of carp roe and fresh tuna. He would have been amazed to see me replace rich seafood with quinoa seeds in the frittata I prepared last weekend. 

Quinoa is one of today’s ‘superfoods’, a marketing term that is synonymous with nutritional density.  Quinoa has the distinction of containing all nine amino acids that make up the essential building blocks of protein as well as high levels of iron, potassium and fiber.  This tiny seed has sustained indigenous people living along the spine of the Andes in Bolivia, Peru and Chile for 7,000 years.  Spanish invaders replaced quinoa with rice and wheat crops in the 16th century.  It was rediscovered in the middle of the last century and its cultivation has since spread around the world.

Be sure to rinse off quinoa seeds before cooking to remove a natural, bitter coating designed to discourage bugs and birds in the wild.  Quinoa cooks in 15 minutes in twice its volume of water doubling in volume as it cooks.  Seeds are available in a variety of colors, from white to red, yellow and black.  The seeds crack during cooking to produce a small curled white tail.  They pop in the mouth when you bite down releasing a satisfying earthy aroma. 

QUINOA AND ASPARAGUS FRITTATA

Ingredients for 4 servings:

1/2 cup red quinoa

8 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup feta cheese, cut into small cubes

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small red onion, peeled and diced 

1 leek, white portion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

10 asparagus stalks, trimmed and cut into 2" lengths

1/4 cup water

1 cup baby spinach leaves, tightly packed

1/4 cup grated romano cheese

1/4 cup Italian parsley leaves, chopped 

Rinse the quinoa under cold running water.  Simmer it in 1 cup water until it is tender, about 15 minutes.  Drain any remaining water, and reserve. Beat the eggs with the salt and allow to stand for 15 minutes.  Mix in the feta cheese pieces and mustard.  Reserve.

Select an ovenproof, non-stick skillet to heat the olive oil in and soften the onion and leek pieces over medium low heat.  Stir in the garlic and cook an additional minute. Add the asparagus pieces, the water, cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes.  Uncover and sprinkle the spinach over the surface.  Cook until it has wilted and any remaining water in the skillet has evaporated.  Stir the quinoa into the egg mixture and pour it over the leek and asparagus mixture.  Shake the pan to help distribute the eggs evenly.  Cook for 2 -3 minutes, run a spatula around the edge of the skillet to release the  edges.  When the bottom of the omelet is browned, sprinkle on the grated cheese and place the skillet in the oven 4" below the broiler.  Remove when the surface is set and lightly browned.  Scatter on the parsley and serve immediately.

A trip to the grocery has turned into a nerve-wracking adventure during this pandemic.  My gloved hands grow sweaty as I wander one-way aisles looking for the reassuring necessities of my solitary life.  Which staple will be missing because of the caronavirus?   Panic buying of toilet paper was followed by a run on yeast and flour for baking. An imminent shortage of steaks and chops has carnivores on edge.

I finally stop and breathe a sigh of relief at the fish counter.  Small jet black mussels resting half-hidden in shaved ice await shoppers who value their sweet succulent flavor that conjures up the scent of coastal waters where they thrive.  These tasty bi-valves are sustainably farmed in inlets of Prince Edward Island and shipped throughout the States.  One serving delivers a hefty amount of protein (18 gr.), iron and B12 for a modest price.  Talk about fresh, unlike everything else in the grocery, mussels are alive!

 A well-trained salesperson bags mussels sorting out those with shells that are broken, empty or won’t close when gently pressed.   Each purchase receives a hand shovel of ice and a few pokes with a knife to allow air into the plastic bag.  Mussels will survive for a few days in your refrigerator but are best when cooked on the day of purchase.  Rinse them under cold tap water, cull any whose shells remain ajar after a tap on the kitchen counter, and trim off an occasional ropey bit with scissors.  (Mussels grow a ‘beard’ to anchor themselves to a boat, rock or rope.)

It takes about 5 minutes for mussels to steam open in a shallow bath with water, wine, chopped onions and thyme.  You can stop there, turn the contents of the pot onto a serving platter and sit down to eat with a crusty baguette and a glass of icy Muscadet.  Steamed mussels (Moules à la Marinière)  is considered a simple, satisfying feast in France.  They are easily separated from their shell with a fork and the cooking juices at the bottom sopped up with bread.

A motivated cook can take turn steamed mussels into soup in another 10 minutes with amazing results.  Remove the mussels from their shells, reunite them the strained cooking liquid and some heavy cream.  Voila!  The resulting soup is worthy of a Michelin star.  OK, I left out some details, but not many.

I imagine this wonderful soup has roots going back to a simple kitchen in Brittany.  It acquired its odd name and a backstory in the 1890's when chefs would flatter celebrities by naming their signature dishes after them.  In this case, Billi Bi was the nickname of the wealthy American financier, William B. Leeds, who dined often at Maxim’s in Paris and was a great fan of their signature cream of mussel soup.  

BILLI BI

Yield for 2 servings (double/triple as needed)

1 pounds mussels
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup cool water, more later as needed
1/2 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed with skin left on
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped (1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup each diced shallots, carrots and celery
1 teaspoon arrowroot or potato starch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoons minced chives

Rinse the mussels in cold water; discard any with broken shells or that gape open  when pressed close.  Trim off "beard" attachments.  Place them all in a large non-reactive saucepan along with the wine, water, onion, thyme and pepper.  Bring liquid to a boil, cover and cook tossing and shaking the mussels to splash juices over the shells.  After 5-6 minutes, after all the shells have opened, drain the pot into a colander over a saucepan.  When the mussels are cool enough to handle, remove them from the shells.  Reserve the mussels and discard the shells. 

Melt butter in a 4 quart saucepan.  Cook the shallot, carrot and celery pieces over medium low heat until they soften.  Strain mussel cooking liquid and add water to measure 1 cup.  Return the broth to the vegetables, add the cream and bring to a simmer.  Add the starch mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste.   Ladle the soup into bowls, distribute the mussels among the servings, garnish with chives and serve.