Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C). Place peeled garlic cloves in a small ovenproof dish or jar. Add bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and salt. Pour olive oil over garlic so cloves are fully submerged. Cover tightly with foil or a lid and bake for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours until cloves are tender and can be mashed with a fork. Remove from oven and let cool. Reserve garlic cloves and oil separately. Mash 3 tablespoons of the confited garlic to use in the mussel sauce; reserve remaining cloves for spreading or other use. Store leftover confit submerged in oil in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Frites

Prepare potatoes

Cut peeled russets into 1/3-inch sticks. Rinse in cold water until water runs clear to remove excess starch. Drain and pat completely dry with kitchen towels. For best texture, chill fries in the refrigerator on a tray for 30 minutes or up to an hour.

First fry (blanch)

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer to 300°F (150°C). Working in batches, fry potatoes for 4–6 minutes until soft but not colored. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a rack or paper towel. Let cool 10 minutes.

Second fry (crisp)

Increase oil temperature to 375°F (190°C). Fry blanched potatoes in batches for 2–3 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Remove and drain. Immediately toss with fine sea salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil to finish. Keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven on a tray while cooking the mussels.

Mussels

Clean and check mussels

Rinse mussels under cold water, scrub shells and remove any beards. Discard any mussels that are cracked, open and do not close when tapped, or otherwise suspicious. Pat mussels dry.

Build the sauce

In a large heavy pot or deep sauté pan with a lid, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add minced shallots and cook 2–3 minutes until softened and translucent but not browned. Stir in mashed garlic confit (3 tablespoons) and cook 30 seconds until aromatic. Add the nduja and break it up with the back of a spoon; cook 1–2 minutes until it melts into the shallots and garlic, releasing its spice and color. Pour in 1 cup dry white wine and scrape any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a simmer.

Steam the mussels

Add the cleaned mussels to the pot, cover with a lid, and increase heat to high. Steam for 4–6 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until almost all mussels have opened. Remove lid and discard any mussels that remain closed. Stir in chopped parsley, sliced chives, lemon juice from 1 lemon, salt (1 tsp) and black pepper (1 tsp). Taste and adjust seasoning. If the sauce looks thin and you want a silkier finish, swirl in another tablespoon of butter. Spoon sauce and mussels into a large shallow serving bowl.

Finishing & Serving

Plate and garnish

Pile hot frites alongside or in a separate container. Spoon remaining nduja-garlic-wine sauce over the mussels and sprinkle extra chopped parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and optional aioli for the fries. Encourage diners to dip fries into the sauce and enjoy mussels hot.

Timing note: Start the garlic confit at least 2–3 hours before service (it can be made ahead). Begin potatoes first if you plan to refrigerate them to dry in advance; start frying just before the mussels finish so both components are served hot. This recipe serves 4.