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Stephanie Alexander's New Zealand mussels
Renowned chef and food author Stephanie Alexander, cooks up a storm with Reg in New Zealand.
ingredients
36 New Zealand green shell mussels
375ml (1½ cups) New Zealand sauvignon blanc, or any dry white wine
a few parsley stalks
1 bay leaf
Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
tiny pinch New Zealand saffron strands
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
To serve
1 egg
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
olive oil, for frying
method
Wash mussels and pull off any beards. Place in a deep frying pan (or a wok) with the wine, parsley and bay leaf and cover. Place pan over high heat until the mussels have all opened. Remove and discard the top shell of each mussel. Check that all beard has been removed and place the mussels on a tray. Cover with a sheet of plastic film to prevent drying out. Pour liquid through a strainer lined with damp muslin. You should have 1 cup. Make up the quantity with hot water if you are a bit short.
Sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan and when foaming sauté the shallot for 2 minutes. Add saffron and paprika. Stir for a moment and then add the flour. Cook stirring for a minute and then gradually stir in the hot stock. Stir or whisk the sauce until it comes to boiling point. It should be as thick as heavy cream. Stir in the parsley.
Spoon sauce over each mussel to more or less fill the shell. Place tray in the refrigerator until sauce has completely cooled. (The mussels can sit quite happily for several hours at this point. The sauce prevents them from drying out.)
Just before serving: Whisk the egg well and set out in a pasta plate with the crumbs alongside. Pass each mussel through the egg allowing extra to drip back into the bowl. Scatter crumbs over the mussel. They should stick instantly. Heat 1 centimetre of olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan. When hot, carefully place the mussels crumb-side down in the oil and fry for about 2 minutes. Lift out and drain shells on paper. Be a little bit careful as the mussels will be very hot and the shell even hotter! Use a fork or a teaspoon to eat them.
The mussels can be dribbled with olive oil and put under a griller but the crumbs will not be as crunchy as in the fried version. Serves Four.
© Stephanie Alexander 2001
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