Shetland mussels are amongst the best in the world in my opinion.
Make sure that you buy them really fresh, and follow the old rule that
mussels are at their best eaten when there’s an ‘r’ in the month.
Use a good quality scrumpy cider and always buy a little extra to wash
down the mussels with a glass or two.
Ingredients: Serves 4
2kg mussels, washed and the beards removed
6 rashers of good quality
rindless streaky
smoked bacon
2 shallots
2 cloves of garlic
Knob of butter
400ml scrumpy cider
200g curly kale, washed and stalks removed
150ml double cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Cook the bacon on a baking tray under the grill until crispy, and then chop into chunks. Peel and slice the shallots, and peel and crush the garlic.
2. Then heat a large saucepan, add a knob of butter, the shallots and garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes and then turn up the heat.
3. Pour in the cider and add the mussels, then put a lid on straight away so that the mussels steam. At the point when they start to open add the bacon, curly kale and cream and then carry on cooking for a few more minutes so that the mussels are all open and the curly kale is wilted.
4. Season with a little salt – not too much as the bacon can be salty – and a bit of ground black pepper. Serve piping hot in bowls with some warm crusty bread.