This recipe makes for a speedy starter as the mussels cook in no time at all.
Recipe from ‘Welsh Food by Season’ by Nerys Howell
Serves 4
Ingredients
• ½ kg of mussels
• 1 leek
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp of oil
• 90g of streaky bacon
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 300ml of white wine or cider
• 2tbsp of fresh parsley
Method
1. Thoroughly rinse the mussels discarding any that are broken. Scrub well to remove any sand, mud or grit. If the shells are open, give them a light tap; if they do not close, discard.
2. Wash and slice the leek and slice the garlic. Heat the oil in a large pan and sauté the leek and garlic over a medium heat for a few minutes until the leeks are soft and translucent but not coloured.
3. Add the diced bacon and cook for 5 minutes until beginning to brown, then tip in the mussels, thyme and finally the white wine or cider. Steam with the lid on for 4 minutes or until the shells have fully opened.
4. Spoon the mussels into serving bowls and sprinkle the roughly chopped parsley on top. Pour over the cooking juices and finish with black pepper. Serve with wholemeal or garlic bread.
