MENU dorset issue 27 MENU27.dorset pdf issue 27issue.final-4F | Page 8

 P
“Xx xxxxxxx xxx
xxxxx xxxxxx xxxx x
Dorset
L E N T Y 
The Vital Ingredi ent
M ssels
I
8
What’s the ultimate fast food? Tom East makes the case for mussels,
the most thrifty seafood for those on a budget
f anyone tells you that they don’t have time to cook, throw them a
bag of mussels. Unless you’re unlucky enough to get a particularly
beardy batch, these bivalves are simple to prepare and cook quicker
than a Pot Noodle – they’re a bit more nutritious, too! High
quantities of vitamin B12, fatty acids and red meat-rivalling levels of
iron are contained within the protein-filled sweet and salty morsels.
Before you start cooking, however, you need to prepare your mussels
like a culinary forensic scientist, observing each sleek, shiny blue shell to
make sure none are cracked or open. Discard any broken mussels or those
that don’t close when tapped, and give the rest a scrub under cold water to
remove any barnacles or sand. If you can see any hairs poking out of the
shells, give them a tug to yank them out – this is the beard. Now you’re
ready to cook.
Whilst most mussel dishes involve chucking the closed shells in a sauce
or broth, covering the pan and waiting a few minutes for them to open and
cook (if any don’t open, discard them too), you can serve with a variety of
flavours, including an array of spices. From traditional seafood dishes from
France and Belgium to spicy stews from India, Thailand and even the
Caribbean, you can go on a world tour with these marvellous molluscs.
If you want to get the total taste-of-the-sea experience, France is a
good place to start. Especially moules marinière, in which the mussels are
cooked with wine, shallots and herbs, and served with crusty bread or, if
you’re in Belgium, chips. Throw a little curry powder in and you’ve got
mouclade, and if a ready-made spice mix sounds a bit cheaty, you could
make your own with fennel, coriander, cumin, and brown mustard seeds
for a heady Caribbean-inspired broth made with allspice and coconut
milk. Thai flavours such as lemongrass, lime, ginger and chilli also work
wonders, but if you fancy something a bit more rugged, try a Spanish-
style stew with tomatoes, paprika and beans. You can also steam mussels,
pouring over a mix of Chinese rice wine, plus soy and chilli sauce to finish
at the end.
With a 1kg bag of mussels only costing around £3.50, all of these make
for a thrifty tea, but if you fancy something a bit more, well, fancy, serve
them with other fish such as John Dory, monkfish or sea bass, or pair them
with prawns in a paella to bring some summer flavours into your kitchen in
these cold winter months – which is when mussels are at their best.
Everyday we're musselin'
The bluey-black shells of a handful of
mussels make a Corsican fish stew look
even more appealing
After steaming mussels open, you can top
them with a herby, cheesy crust before
baking in the oven.
Mussels with a Caribbean-
style curry sauce
Ingredients
4 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
3 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red chilli (Scotch bonnet if you like the heat)
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp allspice
200ml water
400ml can of coconut milk
1kg mussels
9
Method
1. Dry fry the whole spices in a frying pan for a couple
of minutes until fragrant and grind them in a pestle
and mortar or a spice grinder.
2. Heat the oil in a large pan and gently fry the onion
for five minutes, then add the chilli, garlic and ginger
and continue cooking for another minute.
3. Next, add three tablespoons of your ground spice
mix, along with the allspice and cook for another
minute.
4. Pour in 200ml of water and a can of coconut milk
and simmer for around 25 minutes until your sauce is
thickened.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the mussels – discarding
any chipped or open ones, removing the beards
and scrubbing under cold water to get rid of any
barnacles and sand. When the sauce is ready, throw
in the mussels, put the lid on the pan and cook for
around 3-4 minutes, or until they have opened.
Shake the pan from time to time to move them
around. Discard any that haven’t opened and serve.
Sponsored by
Sponsored by
www.menu-dorset.co.uk
www.menu-dorset.co.uk