Steamed mussels with Cidona, curry spices and creme fraiche

Steamed mussels with Cidona, curry spices and creme fraiche. Photograph: Harry Weir
Steamed mussels with Cidona, curry spices and creme fraiche. Photograph: Harry Weir
Serves: 2
Course: Main Course
Cooking Time: 0 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

  • 50g butter
  • 1 small onion, peeled and sliced
  • 125g smoked bacon lardons
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½tsp curry powder
  • 1kg mussels, debearded and washed
  • 200ml Cidona
  • 2tbs creme fraiche
  • Some chopped parsley

1 Melt the butter and add the onion, bay leaves and bacon. Cook for 10 minutes over a medium heat until the onion has softened .

2 Add the curry powder. Cook for one more minute before adding the mussels and Cidona.

3 Cover the pan and bring the mussels to the boil, cooking for two to three minutes over a high heat, until all the mussels are open, stirring just once along the way. Do not overcook or the mussels will become tough and rubbery.

4 Remove the pan from the heat, then stir in the creme fraiche and parsley and serve straight away with some crusty bread.

Paul Flynn

Paul Flynn

Paul Flynn is a chef, restaurateur and contributor to The Irish Times. He and his wife, Máire, run the Tannery restaurant and cookery school in Dungarvan, Co Waterford