Cornish mussels with cider

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loveFOOD
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This is a version of moules marinière using Cornish ingredients – you can’t go wrong really. Serve with a hunk of crusty bread.

1.8 kg mussels
20 g butter
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
4 or 5 spring onions, chopped
3 thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
100 ml dry cider
120 ml double (heavy) cream
1 handful wild sorrel leaves, coarsely chopped, or 200g/7oz baby spinach leaves, washed
1 pinch each salt and black pepper
4 pieces of crusty bread, to serve

4 lbs mussels
0.7 oz butter
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
4 or 5 spring onions, chopped
3 thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
3.5 fl oz dry cider
4.2 fl oz double (heavy) cream
1 handful wild sorrel leaves, coarsely chopped, or 200g/7oz baby spinach leaves, washed
1 pinch each salt and black pepper
4 pieces of crusty bread, to serve

4 lbs mussels
0.7 oz butter
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
4 or 5 spring onions, chopped
3 thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
0.4 cup dry cider
0.5 cup double (heavy) cream
1 handful wild sorrel leaves, coarsely chopped, or 200g/7oz baby spinach leaves, washed
1 pinch each salt and black pepper
4 pieces of crusty bread, to serve

Wash the mussels under plenty of cold, running water. Discard any open ones that won’t close when lightly squeezed or tapped. Pull out any tough, fibrous beards protruding from the tightly closed shells and knock off any barnacles with a large knife. Give the mussels another quick rinse to remove any little pieces of shell.
Melt the butter in a large pan with a lid. Add the garlic, spring onions, thyme and bay leaves, then cook until softened.
Add the mussels and cider, then turn up the heat, cover the pan and leave the mussels to steam in their own juices for 3–4 minutes. Give the pan a good shake every now and then.
Add the cream and the chopped sorrel or baby spinach and remove from the heat. Season with salt and black pepper.
Spoon into large warmed bowls and serve with lots of crusty bread to soak up the tasty juices.

This recipe is from Rick Stein at Home by Rick Stein (BBC Books, £26). Photography by James Murphy.

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