LOVE LOCAL APPLE-Y MUSSELS
Apples and mussels are both enjoying their peak season at the moment – so why not combine the two?
1kg fresh, live mussels 2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 large Granny Smith apple, core removed and cut into cubes 300ml apple juice Zest and juice of 1 lemon 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves Fresh dill, to garnish
SERVES 4
1 Prepare the mussels: check all the mussels are closed and discard any that are open or don’t close with a gentle tap, together with any that are cracked or damaged. Pull off the beard and scrub with a stiff brush under cold running water to remove any barnacles.
2 Heat the butter and oil in a large, wide saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and cook gently for 2 minutes. Add the apple and cook for 1 minute. Add the apple juice, lemon zest and juice, and thyme, and bring to the boil.
3 Add the mussels, shake the saucepan a few times and cover with a lid. Cook for about 2 minutes, then shake the mussels again. Cook for another 6-8 minutes, until all mussels have opened.
4 Discard any unopened mussels and serve immediately, garnished with dill.
www.fi shisthedish.co.uk
Jack Stein, the middle son of seafood hero Rick and executive chef of Stein Restaurants, gives us a simple yet eff ective way to cook mussels. Mussels are one of the cheapest and most plentiful shellfi sh that most people encounter. I used to pick
them as a child: my father Rick paid me around 30p per pound to pick mussels from various beaches around Padstow. Whether you're picking your own or buying from a fi shmonger, be sure to cook them with safety in
mind. Mussels that are open are not necessarily always dead. When they’ve been cleaned, pop them into a bowl of fresh water, and they’ll spring into action if they’re still alive – if any don’t move, get rid of them. If you’re cooking a dish such as moules marinière, you’ll want to allow a pint of mussels per person.
It’s a lovely, simple way to cook mussels: simply soſt en fi nely chopped onion in butter over a low heat, before turning up the heat, adding the mussels and shaking the pan to coat them evenly with the butter. Add a tablespoon of white wine per portion and cover the pan: as the mussels open, they’ll release their juice with a beautiful salty, mineral fl avour that will emulsify with the butter in the pan. T ey’ll only need 3-4 minutes cooking time to steam open, at which point you’ll want to discard any that are still closed. Finish them with a sprinkle of chopped fl at leaf parsley – and serve with a glass of white wine!
FOODLOVERMAGAZINE.COM | 47
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