Main courses
Mussels and tomato stew
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
- 2.5 kg mussels
- 350 ml dry white wine
- 250 g peeled and finely chopped onions
- 250 g celery
- 200 g streaky bacon
- 300 g finely chopped carrots
- 2 tins of peeled tomatoes ( 400 g each)
- 3 tbsp Kerrygold Pure Irish Salted Butter
- 2 tbsp Pernod
- 4 sprigs of lemon thyme
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 2 bay leafs
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- Salt
- Black pepper
Directions
- Wash the mussels. Discard any damaged and open mussels.
- Bring the white wine to the boil in a large shallow saucepan.
- Add the mussels, cover and steam until all the shells have opened.
- Drain, saving the mussel fond. Discard any closed mussel shells.
- Leave the remaining mussels to cool.
- Remove the mussels from their shells, cover, and place in the fridge.
- Peel the onions and chop them finely.
- Peel the garlic cloves and cut into thin slices.
- Trim the celery and cut into 1 cm cubes. Keep the lightly-coloured inner leafs to one side for use as garnish.
- Cut the bacon into fine strips
- Melt the Kerrygold Butter in a saucepan and sweat the onions, garlic, celery, carrots, and bacon for approx. three minutes, stirring the mixture frequently.
- Drain the tomatoes through a sieve, catching the juice.
- Lightly crush the tomatoes and add them to the saucepan, together with the tomato juice and the mussel fond.
- Add the cumin, bay leafs, lemon thyme and Pernod and bring to the boil.
- Reduce the heat and leave the vegetables to cook for about 15 to 20 minutes. At the end of the cooking time add the mussels to the saucepan, briefly bring to the boil, and season with salt and pepper.
- Garnish with the celery leafs and serve.
