Shellfish Recipes
Creamy Drunken Mussels
Mussels may look intimidating, but they are so easy to cook at home and are ready in minutes. They’re perfect for a dinner-party starter or a quick mid-week meal, with little prep and effort required. They’re also really good for you – high in Zinc, Iron, Vitamin A & B12. Serve this recipe with fries or crusty bread on the side, to soak up the creamy sauce.
Use: Mussels, Littleneck Clams (Cockles) or Tuatua.
Ingredients
- 1kg fresh Mussels
- 2 knobs Butter
- 2 Shallots, finely diced
- 2 cloves Garlic, finely sliced
- 1 handful Parsley, chopped
- 200ml Stout (any brand you like)
- 60ml Cream
- 1 Lemon, cut into wedges
MeTHOD
- If any of your mussels are open, press them closed a couple of times with your hand and set aside. If any don’t begin to close by themselves shortly after you’ve done this, discard them.
- Scrub each mussel shell under cold running water to clean. Then remove the beards (this is the small fibrous clump of hairs hanging out of the shell) by using your index finger and thumb to grab the beard and tug it toward the hinge of the shell and out.
- Place a large deep saucepan on medium heat. Add the butter and once melted, add the shallots and garlic and cook out for a minute. Place the mussels into the pot, add half the parsley and the stout. Cover with a lid and allow to cook for 3-4 minutes on a high heat. Shake the pot a few times during the cooking to move the mussels around.
- Remove the lid, add the cream and the remaining parsley. Pop the lid back on the pot and allow to cook for a further 2 minutes, until the mussels have opened.
- Portion out the mussels into bowls, along with the creamy sauce. Season with salt & pepper and garnish with a lemon wedge.
- Make sure you only serve mussels that have opened during the cooking process, discard any that have stayed closed. Enjoy!
