Question Author
Crab is very good value.....
Moules are so easy.....esp if you have a nice large, deep pan, which I suspect you will have being a farmer's wife (now isn't that stereotyping! - but most of the houses around here have them for soups, stews etc).
1 kg live mussels for 2 people
25 g butter
2 shallots, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large red chilli, deseeded and finely diced
1 handfuls flat leaf parsley
1 large pinch strands saffron
200 ml dry white wine
crusty bread, to serve
Method
1. Place the mussels in a bowl of fresh cold water and leave on one side while you fry the shallot and garlic in butter.
2. Finely chop the parsley stalks. Melt the butter in a large pan over a high heat. Add the shallot, garlic and chilli, followed by the pasrsley stalks, and cook for 1 minute.
3. Drain the mussels from the water, and discard any that are cracked or have opened. Scrub the shells and remove the hairy 'beard' attached to the side of each one.
4. Add the saffron and white wine to the pan, followed by the mussels. Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until all the mussels are open.
5. Roughly chop the remaining parsley leaves.
6. Spoon the mussels into a serving bowl and top-up with the broth. Garnish with chopped parsley, and serve with crusty bread to mop up the juices.
An alternative is just to use wine to cook the mussels in (take out the chilli and saffron - or keep the chilli in), then strain keep them warm and add some cream to the cooking juices, perhaps with some chives as well, and then flat parsley as garnish - yum