Mussels - To Die For
I am currently reading a book I bought at a book sale recently. The book in question is to die for. Really. That is the books title: “To Die For” by Stephen Downes.
This cheerful guide contains all the gastronomic dishes which one should experience before one dies. I know the idea is a bit on the morose side, but the foods described are magnificent. Within, I have rediscovered dishes I haven’t thought about in years. Old classics like Sauce Esplagnole and Sauce Hollandaise. They remind me of when I started cooking- a brave young boy I was.
And so the inspiration for this dish comes from this book. There is nothing new here in this recipe, but Mike and I thought it was so lovely that it definitely should be included here on this blog.
Mussels are a gourmands equivalent of fast food. They are cheap. More precisely- $6 a kilo. That means $3 per serve. Mussels also take just a few minutes to cook, which makes you wonder- why bother with fast food? A pizza delivered to your door will take about 45 minutes. And it will cost you $20. I know there are moments when only a trashy pizza will do (mostly when I am feeling trashy) but I often forget how easy mussels are. So this recipe is for the folks, out in cyber land, that complain about not having enough time to cook. Do yourself a favour- buy some mussels!
Ingredients
1 kilo live mussels
1 or 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 fresh bay leaf
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
50 ml unwooded white wine
50- 100ml cream (35% milk fat)
Fresh black pepper
Method
Soak the mussels in a sink with water.
Rip away the beards and discard those mussels that do not close. Change the water and let them soak until you are ready to use. Remove to a bowl or colander, discarding the water.
You will need a large and wide saucepan with a lid. Place the garlic, oil and herbs in the pan, over a very low heat. Cook the garlic for about 1 minute. Do not allow the garlic to colour. Cook to remove the rawness of the garlic only.
Throw in the wine, followed by the mussels.
Place the lid on the pan and turn up the heat to the highest temperature.
Cook, shaking the pan until the mussels have opened. This will only take minutes.
Divide the mussels amongst 2 deep bowls.
Add the cream to the pan and reduce for a minute. Do not add salt, but add pepper to taste.
Pour over the mussels, sprinkle with extra parsley and serve immediately.
All you need with this is bread and a salad. And white wine, of course.
This cheerful guide contains all the gastronomic dishes which one should experience before one dies. I know the idea is a bit on the morose side, but the foods described are magnificent. Within, I have rediscovered dishes I haven’t thought about in years. Old classics like Sauce Esplagnole and Sauce Hollandaise. They remind me of when I started cooking- a brave young boy I was.
And so the inspiration for this dish comes from this book. There is nothing new here in this recipe, but Mike and I thought it was so lovely that it definitely should be included here on this blog.
Mussels are a gourmands equivalent of fast food. They are cheap. More precisely- $6 a kilo. That means $3 per serve. Mussels also take just a few minutes to cook, which makes you wonder- why bother with fast food? A pizza delivered to your door will take about 45 minutes. And it will cost you $20. I know there are moments when only a trashy pizza will do (mostly when I am feeling trashy) but I often forget how easy mussels are. So this recipe is for the folks, out in cyber land, that complain about not having enough time to cook. Do yourself a favour- buy some mussels!
Ingredients1 kilo live mussels
1 or 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 fresh bay leaf
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
50 ml unwooded white wine
50- 100ml cream (35% milk fat)
Fresh black pepper
Method
Soak the mussels in a sink with water.
Rip away the beards and discard those mussels that do not close. Change the water and let them soak until you are ready to use. Remove to a bowl or colander, discarding the water.
You will need a large and wide saucepan with a lid. Place the garlic, oil and herbs in the pan, over a very low heat. Cook the garlic for about 1 minute. Do not allow the garlic to colour. Cook to remove the rawness of the garlic only.
Throw in the wine, followed by the mussels.
Place the lid on the pan and turn up the heat to the highest temperature.
Cook, shaking the pan until the mussels have opened. This will only take minutes.
Divide the mussels amongst 2 deep bowls.
Add the cream to the pan and reduce for a minute. Do not add salt, but add pepper to taste.
Pour over the mussels, sprinkle with extra parsley and serve immediately.
All you need with this is bread and a salad. And white wine, of course.
