Segment: Caroline Taylor’s Bacon & Cider Mussels
Episode: S3E3
Presenter: Caroline Taylor
Air Date: 24th November 2019
Mussels are a fantastic sustainable seafood option, and this one-pot wonder is a great dish to cook over the summer months.
Ingredients
- 1.5kg mussels
- 200g bacon, cut into lardons
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely diced
- 2 tablespoon salted butter
- 100ml olive oil
- 250 ml apple cider
- 100g crème fraiche
- 1 small bunch spring onion
- ½ teaspoon sea salt & cracked black pepper
- Fresh crust bread
Recipe
- Clean mussels with cold water, scrubbing where necessary, then pull the beards out by pulling down quickly towards the smallest part of the mussel. Set them aside.
- Use a pot big enough to fit all the mussels, and with a lid, sauté the garlic in the butter and oil until translucent.
- Add the bacon and render out for 2-3 minutes.
- Add half the cider to the pot and then crank up the heat with the lid on (about 2-3 minutes)
- Once steaming, add all the mussels and the rest of the cider and place the lid back on.
- Cook mussels for 3-4 minutes until they are all open. If they don’t open, they may just need a bit longer – you’ll be able to tell a bad mussel from the smell.
- Once the mussels have opened, use a slotted spoon to remove them from the liquid and place into a bowl. Turn the flame down to a low simmer and add crème fraiche to the liquid and stir through, reducing until slightly thickened. Season to taste.
- Pour the liquid over the mussels, sprinkle spring onions over the top and serve with crusty warm bread.