Ingredients
1kg mussels1 tsp olive oil
77g diced pancetta
1 banana shallot, finely sliced (approx 100g)
2 fresh bay leaves
1 large garlic clove, grated or crushed
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
1 lemon, use a vegetable peeler to get some strips of zest then cut the lemon into wedges for serving
250ml dry cider
15g butter, plus extra for the bread to serve (if liked)
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, finely diced and tossed in a little lemon juice
Pinch Cornish Sea Salt Co Really Garlicky Salt
Crusty baguette, to serve
This recipe serves 4 as a starter but it’s easy to scale up if you’re catering for more. Swap the crusty bread for fries if you’re serving for two as a main course, if you like.
Instructions
- Prepare the mussels by scrubbing the shells and removing the beards or any barnacles. Discard any mussels with a broken shell or those that don’t close when tapped. Keep covered with damp cloth.
- Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium high heat and add the pancetta. Cook for a couple of minutes to render out the fat until crisp and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving behind as much of the fat and oil as possible.
- Add the shallots and cook for a couple of minutes until soft. Add the bay leaves, garlic and ginger and stir to combine. Add the cinnamon, cloves and a couple strips of lemon zest.
- Increase the heat to high, quickly add the mussels to the pan with the cider and cover with a tight lid. Cook for 5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally until the mussels have opened.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the mussels and transfer to a warmed serving bowl or platter. Discard any mussels that have not opened.
- Add the butter to the pan juices and cook for a minute over high heat to reduce a little. Stir in the diced apple and season with a generous pinch of Cornish Sea Salt Co Really Garlicky Salt.
- Spoon the sauce over the mussels and serve with crusty bread and extra lemon wedges, if liked.
