Mussels with samphire and Welsh cider
There are few kitchen sounds more pleasing than just-opened mussels clattering into a bowl with their salty broth.
Samphire is a sea vegetable, which makes it naturally salty, with a mineral depth that complements the sweetness of mussels. Anglesey grows some of the best mussels around so this is the perfect dish to eat on the salty island.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a starter
- 1 kg mussels, cleaned and de-bearded (see method)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 6 round shallots, finely sliced
- 1 stick celery, finely chopped
- ½ tsp Halen Môn Pure Sea Salt
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 50g samphire, rinsed and cut into finger-length pieces
- 100ml dry Welsh cider
- 50ml double cream
- Handful of flat leaf parsley, leaves roughly chopped
To serve:
- crusty bread
- lemon wedges
METHOD
- Clean the mussels: tip into a colander, then scrub them under cold running with a brush to dislodge any grit, and pull away any visible “beards” (hairy fibres) that stick out from the shells by gripping them tightly and pulling away. Discard any mussels with broken shells, or any open ones that don’t close when you tap them against a hard surface.
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Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan for which you have a lid over a medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the shallots, celery and salt and stir before covering with a lid. Sweat the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to catch, about 4 minutes.
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Stir in the crushed garlic, and when the garlic is really fragrant, add the mussels, samphire and cider to the pan. Cover with the lid again and cook for 3-4 minutes until the mussels begin to open.
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Stir in the cream, warm through gently and sprinkle over the parsley. Ladle into bowls with some of the broth. Serve with lemon wedges and crusty bread for mopping up the broth.
