This delightful recipe makes a very good supper for one or two people. Allow 25 minutes which includes a prep. time of about 10 minutes. Mussels contain many vitamins and minerals. They are a very good source of vitamin B12, iron, manganese and selenium.
Ingredients
400g mussels (fresh or packed).2 Shallots finely chopped and a leek.
2 Garlic cloves, chopped.
1 stick of celery, chopped.
Fresh parsley, chopped.
One small chilli or chilli flakes (optional).
250 ml white wine (Pinot Grigio used).
100 ml of double cream.
Butter, ground black pepper and sea salt.
Add a few prawns for extra flavour.
Directions
Prepare the mussels, if packed put to one side, if fresh wash under running water, remove and string or beards and discard. With fresh mussels throw away any which are open - tap them to see if they close, as open mussels are dead. This does not apply to packet ones.Place a large sarge saucepan (or wok) on medium heat on the hob. Add a few glugs of olive oil and add the shallots, celery, garlic and a pinch of sea salt. Add the chilli here if desired. Leave this for five minutes to soften then blend in the white wine and simmer for a further five minutes or until the mussels are open (discard any that do not fully open). Remove from the heat and stir in butter and cream.
Decant into two serving bowls and serve immediately. Add pepper and salt if required. This goes well with crusty bread and if you are feeling adventurous add some freshly cooked plain spaghetti.
There is a video available on this link.
Note: The best season for fresh mussels is from October to March. Otherwise they are usually available in packs from supermarket chiller cabinets. Fresh mussels taste the best.