This is a very simple and quick dish to prepare but offers lots of wonderful flavour. It can be used as a starter or even as a single dish in its own right. First we need the mussels. These should be very fresh and need to be well scraped and cleaned. You need to check that all the shells are not broken and that they are tightly shut. Any that are broken or open need to be discarded.
There is also sometimes a small bunch of hair like things hanging out of the shell. These need to be removed. Now the mussels are ready to cook. We took a good thick-bottomed pan and put it on the stove. Into this we melted some butter. We put in some finely chopped shallot and a good amount of finely chopped garlic. This dish really does get better the more garlic you use, so don't be shy.
As the shallot and garlic start to soften we added some finely chopped smoked bacon. We slightly increased the heat under the pan. As the bacon starts to colour and go golden we added a good splash of white wine and the mussels. We also added a sprinkle of sea salt and a good twist of freshly ground black pepper.
We then put a tightly fitting lid on the pan and left it for three or four minutes. After that time we removed the lid and checked the mussels. They should have all opened. Any that have not opened or any that look very small and shriveled up need to be discarded. At this point we added a good drizzle of double cream and a good handful of fresh chopped tarragon.
If you would rather not use double cream, a much healthier option would be to use crème fraiche. The mussels were then spooned into a nice serving dish and finished with a dusting of cayenne pepper. This both adds something to he taste and the presentation.
That is it. Very simple but a fabulous dish. This can be served with some freshly baked bread and a nice glass of crisp white wine.
Enjoy.
Paul Vincent, Head Chef.
