French Mussels

Moules Marinieres

Ingredients
1kg mussels. (The Creel Fishmonger at Sherwood gets live Mussels every Tues)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 French Shallot, finely diced
4 cloves garlic
1 cup wine
1 cup cream
2-3 tbsp chives
Crusty bread

Method:
In a pot (with a lid) large enough to take all the mussels:

Add the olive oil over a medium heat.
Add the finely diced French shallots and cook for a minute or so until translucent, stirring often.
Add the white wine, mussles, garlic and cream
Cover with lid and cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes or so until the mussels are open.
When the mussels are all open, remove mussels to a large bowl and cover with alfoil
Reduce the remaining stock on medium-high heat for 5 minutes.
Taste the stock for saltiness and when at appropriate level pour over mussels.
Remove pot from heat, add chives.

Enjoy with crusty bread and the remainder of white wine.

Serves 2
For a tasty touch, add 100g diced smoked salmon with the chives.

Spanish Mussels

Hola amigos!
This recipe is a favourite of all who have tasted it. Its very simple to make, and a treat to eat. Is there a better use for smoked paprika? Simple food at its best.

Ingredients
1kg mussels. (The Creel Fishmonger at Sherwood gets live Mussels every Tues - $13.00kg)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 chorizo sausage
1 French Shallot, finely diced
1 – 1.5 tbsp smoked paprika
4 cloves garlic
1 cup wine
2 truss tomatoes diced (remove skin and seeds if you so desire)
2-3 tbsp chivesCrusty bread

Method:
Skin the chorizo and break into smallish chunks (or slice into 4 pieces lengthwise and chop).
In a pot (with a lid) large enough to take all the mussels:
-Add the olive oil over a medium heat.Add the chorizo and leave for 1-2 minutes to get some colour.
-Add the finely diced French shallots and cook for a minute or so until translucent, stirring often.
-Add the smoked paprika and garlic, stir for 30-45 seconds
-Add the white wine, mussles and tomato
-Cover with lid and cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes or so until the mussels are open.
-When the mussels are all open, remove mussels to a large bowl and cover with alfoil
-Reduce the remaining stock on high heat for 5 minutes.
-Taste the stock for saltiness and when at appropriate level,m remove from heat, add chives, stif and then pour over mussels.

Enjoy with crusty bread and the remainder of white wine.
Serves 2

This dish can be made with pasta. When mussels are removed from pot, add pasta that is almost cooked. Cook for a couple of minutes and then add mussels back to pot, mix and serve.