Piquillo peppers* are a vibrant red and have a mild fruity taste which is a lovely combination with the slightly salty prosciutto and sweet mussels. The tarragon adds an aniseed flavour to this dish, but you could use basil instead if you prefer. I used prosciutto cotto but crudo would be fine, as would any good thinly sliced Italian ham. This is an easy dish to prepare. Serve with some crusty bread to mop up the juice.
*These peppers are almost exclusively found roasted, skinned and jarred rather than fresh
Ingredients (serves 2 as a starter or 1 as a main)
500g live mussels
20g butter
2 fat cloves of garlic, minced or grated
A generous splash of white wine
2 slices of prosciutto (approx. 50g), chopped or torn into small pieces
50g preserved piquillo peppers, chopped into pieces
A small handful of tarragon leaves
Method
*These peppers are almost exclusively found roasted, skinned and jarred rather than fresh
Ingredients (serves 2 as a starter or 1 as a main)
500g live mussels
20g butter
2 fat cloves of garlic, minced or grated
A generous splash of white wine
2 slices of prosciutto (approx. 50g), chopped or torn into small pieces
50g preserved piquillo peppers, chopped into pieces
A small handful of tarragon leaves
Method
- De-beard the mussels (if needed) and discard any that have opened and don’t close when you tap them sharply.
- Melt the butter in a pan large enough to hold the mussels. Add the minced garlic and cook gently for a few minutes.
- Add the pieces of prosciutto, piquillo pepper and the mussels to the pan.
- Turn up the heat and add the wine. Cook for a few minutes then turn down the heat. Simmer until the mussels open (a few minutes)
- Add the tarragon, mixing it through the mussels. Reserve some to garnish.
