Spicy steamed Mussels

This is a great dish to a large bowl on the table and share the food. Serve with french bread of french fries.

What you need:

• 500g/1 lb 2oz fresh mussels
  

For the sauce

• 2 tsp garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh root ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tsp chilli bean sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsp dark soy sauce
• 2 fresh red chillies, seeded and chopped
• 3 tbsp spring onions, finely shredded
• 3 tbsp groundnut or peanut oil

Preparation method

1. Clean the mussels clean.
2. Set up a steamer or put a rack into a wok or deep pan and fill it with 5cm of water. Bring the water to the boil over a high heat.
3. Place the mussels on a plate, then place the plate into the steamer or onto the rack.
4. Turn the heat to low so the water is barely simmering and cover the wok or pan tightly.
5. Steam gently for five minutes or until the mussels begin to open.
6. Meanwhile, combine all the sauce ingredients, except the oil, in a heatproof bowl.
7. Heat a wok or large frying-pan over high heat. When hot, add the oil. Heat the oil until it's very hot and slightly smoking, then pour the hot oil over the sauce ingredients.
8. Remove the mussels from the steamer. Discard any mussels that haven't opened.
9. Stir the sauce then pour over the mussels.
10. Garnish with fresh coriander sprigs and serve at once.

(inspired by Ken Hom)

Pasta with Mussels and Pesto

A delicious quick lunch with fresh mussels and homemade pesto.

What you need:

For the pesto

• 60g fresh basil leaves, plus extra to serve
• 50g pine nuts
• 50g parmesan, freshly grated
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 75ml extra virgin olive oil

For the mussel and tomato sauce

• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 stick celery, finely chopped
• 2kg mussels, cleaned, beards removed 
• 150ml white wine
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped
• 800g canned tomatoes
• 6 fresh basil leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. For the pesto, blend the basil, pine nuts, parmesan and garlic in a food processor to a fine purée. Add the olive oil and continue to blend to a coarse paste.
2. For the mussel and tomato sauce, heat 2½ tablespoons of the olive oil in a lidded frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the onion and celery for 1-2 minutes, or until softened.
3. Add the mussels and white wine and cover the pan with its lid. Steam for 2-3 minutes, or until all of the mussels have opened.
4. Strain the mussels through a fine sieve into a bowl. Reserve the cooking liquid.
5. Using your hands, discard the shells from half of the mussels and set the mussel flesh aside. (Set aside the remaining mussels in their shells too.)
6. Return the pan the mussels were cooked in to the heat and add the remaining 2½ tablespoons of olive oil. Fry the garlic for 30 seconds, or until pale golden-brown.
7. Add the reserved cooking liquid, canned tomatoes and basil and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering and simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until the volume of the mixture has reduced by one third. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir in all of the cooked reserved mussels.
8. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta.
9. Stir the cooked pasta into the mussel and tomato sauce.
10. To serve, spoon the mussel and tomato linguine onto each of four serving plates and top each with a spoonful of pesto and a few basil leaves.