Mussels – Seafood Recipes
Mussel Omelettes
Ingredients:
2 x 150 g (5 oz) jars mussels in their own juice, drained, with juice reserved
100 g (4 oz) butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
40 g (1 1/2 oz) plain flour
3 tablespoons dry or medium white wine
8 eggs
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 - 3 tablespoons double cream
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Method:
Melt 50 g (2 oz) butter in a saucepan. Add the onion and celery and cook very gently, stirring with a wooden spoon, for about 10 minutes until soft.
Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 - 2 minutes. Gradually stir in 125 ml (4 fl oz) reserved mussel juice and the wine and simmer, stirring, until thick and smooth, then stir in the mussels and enough cream to make a thick sauce. Leave the sauce on very low heat, stirring occasionally, while you make the omelettes.
Lightly beat 2 eggs and season sparingly with salt and pepper. Melt 15 g (1/2 oz) butter in a frying-pan.
When it sizzles, pour in the eggs, and cook for 2 - 3 minutes, drawing the edges towards the centre with a fork as they cook. The omelette is ready when the centre is still slightly runny.
Spoon one-quarter of the mussel sauce on to one-half of the omelette in the pan and fold the omelette over. Carefully slide it out on to a warmed individual serving plate and serve at once. Make the other 3 omelettes in the same way serving each as soon as it is made.
Mussels au Gratin
Ingredients:
1 onion
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons oil
150 ml (1/4 pint) pint white wine
2 tablespoons concentrated tomato puree
salt and freshly milled white pepper
generous pinch of cayenne
pinch of dried thyme
generous pinch of sugar
400 g (14 oz) frozen mussels, thawed
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
4 tablespoons freshly grated Cheddar cheese
25 g (1 oz) butter
Method:
Finely chop the onion and garlic. Heat the oil. Fry the onion and garlic in the oil until transparent.
Stir in the wine and tomato puree, season with salt, pepper, cayenne and thyme, and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time. Stir in the sugar.
Spoon the tomato sauce into four ovenproof dishes and top with the mussels. Sprinkle the chopped parsley and grated Cheddar over the mussels and dot with butter.
Bake in a moderately hot oven (200 c, 400 f, gas 6) until the cheese starts melting. |
