Saldanha bay mussels in wine, garlic, herbs and cream
At the height of summer, a freshly steamed pot of mussels is one of the most festive ways to entertain a crowd. Using fresh black mussels, these only need a few minutes of steaming in a fragrant, simple wine broth. Serve with some crusty bread on the side for dipping.
Ingredients
1,5 kg fresh live black mussels 15 ml olive oil
30 ml butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, finely grated
6 sprigs thyme, leaves only (plus more for serving) 250 ml dry white wine
125 ml fresh cream
a handful finely chopped parsley, for serving
a loaf of crusty bread, for serving
Method
Place the mussels in a large bowl of fresh water (cold / room temperature) and rinse well. Remove the beards by pulling the grassy bits from the pointy edge of the mussels towards the rounded edge. Drain the water and set aside.
In a large pot, heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and thyme, frying until it is soft and fragrant, but not too dark. Add the wine and turn up the heat to high. As soon as the liquid comes to a boil, add the mussels all at once and cover the pot with a lid. Steam for 3 minutes, then give the mussels a stir. Cover and steam for another 2 minutes, making sure that the mussels have opened properly. Remove from the heat, add the cream and give it a final stir. Ladle into bowls, scatter with the chopped parsley and some more thyme, and serve at once with crusty bread to mop up the fragrant sauce.
