With garlicky toast for mopping up the delicious sauce.
“This boozy mussels recipe makes the most amazing fragrant sauce – don’t be shy with the toast!” – Jamie Oliver
Ingredients:
- 1 clove of garlic
- ½ a bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley
- ½ a bunch of fresh tarragon
- 4 rashers of higher-welfare smoked streaky bacon
- Olive oil
- 1 kg mussels, scrubbed, debearded, from sustainable sources (Scottish Shellfish)
- 150 ml quality cider
- 2 tablespoons fat-free natural yoghurt
For the Toast:
- ½-1 loaf of rustic bread or ciabatta
- 1 clove of garlic
- Extra virgin olive oil
Serves: 2
Method:
- Peel and finely slice the garlic, pick and roughly chop the herbs, and finely slice the bacon.
- Slice the bread 2cm thick, then toast on a hot griddle, in the toaster, or under a hot grill.
- Meanwhile, heat a lug of olive oil in a large pan on high heat, add the bacon and cook for a couple of minutes, or until golden and crispy, stirring regularly. Scoop out and reserve the bacon, leaving the flavoured fat behind in the pan.
- Check the mussels – if any of them are open, just give them a little tap and they should close; if they don’t, discard those ones.
- Tip the mussels into the hot pan with the garlic, cider, and a good lug of olive oil. Cover with a lid and leave to steam for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the mussels have opened and are soft, juicy, and delicious, shaking the pan occasionally.
- Meanwhile, halve the garlic clove and rub the hot toasts all over with the cut side, then drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil and arrange around the edge of a serving platter.
- When all of the mussels have opened, they’re ready – transfer them to the platter, leaving the juices behind in the pan. If any of the mussels remain closed, discard them.
- Stir the yoghurt into the pan, bring to the boil, and leave to bubble away for a couple of minutes. Add most of the herbs and a little of the bacon, then taste and season with black pepper.
- Give the pan a jiggle, then pour the sauce over the mussels. Scatter over the remaining herbs and bacon, then place the platter in the middle of the table and tuck in.