HungryForever

MUSSELS WITH CELERY AND CHILES

If you are worried about sustainability, the one seafood you can eat with a totally clear conscience is mussels. This recipe is a reworking of a classic moules marinières. Be sure to eat it with some good bread to soak up all those fantastic juices.

Servings

Ingredients

2pounds fresh mussels
olive oil
3 scallionstrimmed and chopped
1 shallotpeeled and thinly sliced
1 celery stalktrimmed and finely diced
2 garlic clovespeeled and thinly sliced
1 fresh red chileseeded and finely chopped
4leaves thyme sprigsonly
1 Bay Leaf
1 –2 Tbsp vermouth
cup ⅔dry white wine
2 Tbsp crème fraîche
Small bunch of flat-leaf parsleyroughly chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Crusty breadto serve

Instructions

To test that the mussels are okay to eat, place them in a sink or large bowl of cold water. Throw away any that do not close when tapped against a hard surface. Drain the mussels and remove the beards.
Heat a large, heavy-bottomed sauté pan or shallow saucepan over high heat. Add a good glug of oil and sauté the scallions, shallot, celery, garlic, chile, thyme, and bay leaf together. Cook for 2 minutes, shaking the pan, until the shallot and celery start to become tender.
Add the mussels to the pan and shake over very high heat for about 30 seconds. Cover tightly with a lid and leave to steam for 1–2 minutes, shaking the pan now and again. When the mussels begin to open add the vermouth and wine and continue to cook, uncovered, for an additional 1–2 minutes to reduce the liquid. Cover and cook for a final 30–60 seconds until the mussels have completely opened. Discard any that remain shut at the end of cooking.
Add the crème fraîche and parsley to the pan, then taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Cover the pan and shake to combine the flavors. Remove the lid, stir, and serve immediately with plenty of crusty bread.