Mussels in a lightly spiced cream sauce, served with griddled ciabatta
Serves 4
INGREDIENTSFOR THE MUSSELS
1 tbsp olive oil
½ large onion, peeled and chopped
1 celery stick, trimmed, halved lengthways and sliced
1/3 fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped
½ large leek, trimmed, quartered lengthways and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Good pinch saffron threads
½ tsp mild madras curry powder
250ml dry white wine
2kg fresh live mussels, well scrubbed and rinsed See tip 1
300ml fresh chicken stock (preferably organic) or water See tip 2
3 tbsp crème friache See tip 3
Freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
3 tbsp roughly chopped fresh coriander
Freshly ground black pepper FOR THE BREAD
½ ciabatta loaf, thickly sliced
olive oil
METHOD
Heat the oil in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole. Add the onion, celery and fennel. Cover and cook over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring regularly until beginning to soften. Add the leek and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in thyme leaves, bay leaf, saffron and curry powder. Fry gently for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Tip the mussels into the pan and add the wine. Bring to the boil. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan every now and then and stirring once or twice. Add the stock, cover and return to the boil. Continue cooking for a further 3-4 minutes until all the mussels open (Discard any that haven’t opened after this time).
Stir in the crème fraiche and season with freshly ground black pepper and a little freshly squeezed lemon juice. Sprinkle with chopped coriander and serve in large warmed bowls with lots of griddled ciabatta bread to mop up the creamy sauce.
To prepare the griddled bread: Drizzle the slices of bread on both sides with a little olive oil. Heat a griddle pan until very hot. Add the bread and cook on both sides for about a minute until hot and lightly charred. Serve with the mussels. See tip 4
Recipe tips
Soak the mussels in plenty of cold water for 20 minutes before using. Scrub well, remove the hairy beards. Discard any with broken or cracked shells and those that don’t close as soon as they are tapped. After cooking, discard any that don’t open.
If you can’t find fresh chicken stock in your local stores, use a good quality chicken stock cube instead. Dissolve in just-boiled water.
Use double cream instead of the crème fraiche if you like.
Serve the mussels with warm crusty French bread if you don’t have a griddle pan.
INGREDIENTSFOR THE MUSSELS
1 tbsp olive oil
½ large onion, peeled and chopped
1 celery stick, trimmed, halved lengthways and sliced
1/3 fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped
½ large leek, trimmed, quartered lengthways and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Good pinch saffron threads
½ tsp mild madras curry powder
250ml dry white wine
2kg fresh live mussels, well scrubbed and rinsed See tip 1
300ml fresh chicken stock (preferably organic) or water See tip 2
3 tbsp crème friache See tip 3
Freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
3 tbsp roughly chopped fresh coriander
Freshly ground black pepper FOR THE BREAD
½ ciabatta loaf, thickly sliced
olive oil
METHOD
Heat the oil in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole. Add the onion, celery and fennel. Cover and cook over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring regularly until beginning to soften. Add the leek and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in thyme leaves, bay leaf, saffron and curry powder. Fry gently for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Tip the mussels into the pan and add the wine. Bring to the boil. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan every now and then and stirring once or twice. Add the stock, cover and return to the boil. Continue cooking for a further 3-4 minutes until all the mussels open (Discard any that haven’t opened after this time).
Stir in the crème fraiche and season with freshly ground black pepper and a little freshly squeezed lemon juice. Sprinkle with chopped coriander and serve in large warmed bowls with lots of griddled ciabatta bread to mop up the creamy sauce.
To prepare the griddled bread: Drizzle the slices of bread on both sides with a little olive oil. Heat a griddle pan until very hot. Add the bread and cook on both sides for about a minute until hot and lightly charred. Serve with the mussels. See tip 4
Recipe tips
Soak the mussels in plenty of cold water for 20 minutes before using. Scrub well, remove the hairy beards. Discard any with broken or cracked shells and those that don’t close as soon as they are tapped. After cooking, discard any that don’t open.
If you can’t find fresh chicken stock in your local stores, use a good quality chicken stock cube instead. Dissolve in just-boiled water.
Use double cream instead of the crème fraiche if you like.
Serve the mussels with warm crusty French bread if you don’t have a griddle pan.
No comments:
Post a Comment