Chilli Mussels with Cornbread

Name: Chilli Mussels with Cornbread
Yield: Serves 4 as a first course, 2 as a main course
Ingredients: 4 sticks of cornbread or 4 slices pre-cooked polenta; extra-virgin olive oil – optional; 2 kg (about 4 lbs) mussels, well scrubbed and rinsed; glass of dry white wine, cider or beer, about 200 mls (7 oz); glass of dry white wine, cider or beer, about 200 mls (7 oz); glass of dry white wine, cider or beer, about 200 mls (7 oz); 3 or 4 pieces dried tomato, soaked and cut into narrow strips; 1 or 2 red or green chillies, split, seeded and finely sliced – use more or less, to taste; 1 tablespoon fresh coriander, chopped; 4 spring onions, trimmed, rinsed and finely sliced; freshly ground black pepper

Preparation info

Serves
4
as a first course

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Modern Classics

By Frances Bissell

Published 2000

About

Ingredients

2 kg (about 4 lbs) mussels, well scrubbed and rinsed
freshly ground black pepper
4

Fish course
Pescatarian
Spicy

Method

As the mussels cook so quickly, first bake the cornbread, or heat it through. If using the polenta instead, heat the grill or a well-seasoned frying pan and sear it on both sides, until hot all the way through.

Discard any mussels that remain open after scrubbing and rinsing – they are dead – put the rest in a large lidded saucepan with the flavourings and liquid and cover with the lid.