HOW TO
C L A S S I C M O U L E S F RI T E S Serves 4 Takes 40 mins Cost per serve £1.34
RECIPE GEORGINA FUGGLE PHOTOGRAPHY KRIS KIRKHAM FOOD STYLING LUCY JESSOP PROP STYLING LUIS PERAL
1kg fresh mussels 15g butter 1 onion, finely diced 2 spring onions, finely sliced 2 garlic cloves, crushed 15g fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped 100ml white wine 100ml single cream 800g frozen French fries, cooked to pack instructions
1 Prepare the mussels following steps A to C, right. 2 Place a large, heavy-based lidded saucepan over a low heat. Add the butter, onion and spring onions; cook, covered, for 10-12 mins until the onions are soft (D). Add the garlic and half the parsley to the pan. Fry for 2 mins, covered, then add the wine and 100ml water. Remove the lid, increase the heat to bring to a simmer. 3 Add the mussels, cover tightly (to retain the steam), increase the heat to high and cook for 5 mins, shaking the pan occasionally to bring the bottom mussels to the top. Remove the lid: if the mussels are all open, they are cooked. If most are still closed, cover and cook for a further 1-2 mins or until opened. 4 Tip the mussels into a colander set over a bowl to catch the liquid. Discard any mussels that haven’t opened (E). Cover with a lid to keep warm. Pour the liquid into the pan and boil for 3-4 mins until reduced by half. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream (F). Transfer the mussels to serving bowls, pour over the sauce, sprinkle over the remaining parsley and serve with the French fries. Each serving contains Energy
2951kJ 704kcal 35%
Fat
Saturates
24g 7g 34% 34%
Sugars
Salt
4g 4%
1.9g 32%
of the reference intake. See page 8. Carbohydrate 90g Protein 25g Fibre 8g
A CLEAN THE MUSSELS
B GIVE THEM A TAP
Rinse the mussels under cold running water to remove any grit, then use a cutlery knife to scrape off any barnacles.
Discard any cracked mussels. Gently tap any open mussels on a chopping board. Discard any that don’t close, as they are dead.
C REMOVE THE ‘BEARDS’
D FRY THE ONIONS
While the ‘beard’ isn’t harmful, it isn’t very nice to eat. To remove, grasp it between your thumb and forefinger and pull downwards towards the hinged end of the shell. Tug firmly until it comes out.
Don’t let them colour. You want the flavour to be sweet and delicate rather than caramelised. You could also give the sauce a delicate herby flavour by adding bay leaves or thyme before adding the liquid.
E DISCARD CLOSED SHELLS
F MAKE THE SAUCE
It’s important to discard any mussels that haven’t opened on cooking. Make sure you catch the cooking juices in a bowl for the sauce.
Taste the reduced liquid before you add the cream. It should be intense (the cream will dilute it). If it’s not strong, reduce for a few mins more, then add the cream.
Flavour twist For a Thai take on this classic dish, switch the parsley for coriander and add a little finely chopped fresh chilli and lemongrass along with the onion and garlic. Use coconut milk rather than cream at the end and serve with lime wedges.
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