Mussels with cider, leeks and chorizo

There’s few things nicer than a simple meal of steamed mussels, crispy bread and a cold bottle of white wine to share with family or friends.  My go-to recipe for steamed mussels has always been shallots, garlic, white wine, red chilli, lemon, white wine and fresh parsley.  It will always remain my go-to but it is also fun to try something new once in a while.

Mr C (that would be the husband) is a very fussy mussel eater, he is less than impressed if the juice (velouté) is just a bit too acidic for his taste.  So when he said that he loved this new version, I take it as a winner!

Everything about this dish happens quickly, so my advice to you is to prep everything beforehand so that everything is ready before you start cooking.

As with every simple dish, the key is quality produce.  The freshest possible mussels and best possible chorizo.

Bon appetit!

 

This recipe has been adapted from a recipe by Georgina Fuggle.

You’ll need

  • 1kg x fresh mussels
  • 30g x butter
  • 2 Tbsp x neutral olive oil
  • 100g x good quality chorizo, skin removed and roughly chopped
  • 2 x garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 x medium leek, sliced in half, washed and finely sliced
  • Few sprigs of thyme
  • 400ml x dry apple cider
  • 3 Tbsp x double cream
  • Handfull chopped flat leave parsley

Method

  1. To begin, scrub the mussels and remove any sand or beards. Discard any open mussels that refuse to close even when given a sharp tap. Rinse well under cold water and set aside.
  2. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and sauté the chorizo until the oil turns into an orange/reddish colour. (During this stage you can break up the chorizo into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon)
  3. Add the garlic, chopped leeks and thyme and cook for a few minutes until the leek becomes soft and translucent.
  4. Turn up the heat and add the cider and mussels. Cover tightly with a lid and steam for 5–7 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice to encourage the mussels to open.
  5. Reduce the heat to a simmer and, using a large slotted spoon, remove the mussels into your serving dish.
  6. Now, increase the heat of your pot, add the cream to the juices and cook for a couple of minutes to slightly reduce.
  7. At the last minute, add the parsley.
  8. Pour the juice over your mussels and serve with chunky, crispy bread.

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