Sandra Piddock
Guru
I love mussels - when we're in the UK, we collect them off the rocks and cook them, and here in Spain, they're less than 2 Euro a kilo - around £1.70. I usually cook them with garlic, shallots and white wine, but I found this great recipe on the BBC Good Food website.
Ingredients
2 ripe tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 red or green chilli,
deseeded and finely chopped
small glass dry white wine
1 tsp tomato paste
pinch of sugar
1kg cleaned mussels
good handful basil leaves
Method
1. Put the tomatoes in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water, leave for 3 mins, then drain and peel. Quarter the tomatoes and scoop out and discard the seeds using a teaspoon. Roughly chop the tomato flesh.
2. Heat the oil in a large pan with a tight- fitting lid. Add the garlic, shallot and chilli, then gently fry for 2-3 mins until softened. Pour in the wine and add the tomatoes, paste, sugar and seasoning (mussels are naturally salty so take care with the salt). Stir well and simmer for 2 mins.
3. Tip in the mussels and give them a stir. Cover tightly and steam for 3-4 mins, shaking the pan halfway through, until the shells have opened.
4. Discard any shells that remain shut, then divide the mussels between two bowls and add the basil leaves. Provide a large bowl for the empty shells.
Ingredients
2 ripe tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 red or green chilli,
deseeded and finely chopped
small glass dry white wine
1 tsp tomato paste
pinch of sugar
1kg cleaned mussels
good handful basil leaves
Method
1. Put the tomatoes in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water, leave for 3 mins, then drain and peel. Quarter the tomatoes and scoop out and discard the seeds using a teaspoon. Roughly chop the tomato flesh.
2. Heat the oil in a large pan with a tight- fitting lid. Add the garlic, shallot and chilli, then gently fry for 2-3 mins until softened. Pour in the wine and add the tomatoes, paste, sugar and seasoning (mussels are naturally salty so take care with the salt). Stir well and simmer for 2 mins.
3. Tip in the mussels and give them a stir. Cover tightly and steam for 3-4 mins, shaking the pan halfway through, until the shells have opened.
4. Discard any shells that remain shut, then divide the mussels between two bowls and add the basil leaves. Provide a large bowl for the empty shells.