TAPAS RECIPE:

Steamed Mussels - Mejillones

We are very fortunate where we live to have two fish shops in our village. They are open on Tuesdays and Fridays and the seafood you buy there is just so fresh. As a result seafood dishes and tapas, are a reguar thing in most bars and restaurants. Here follows a recipe for one of my favourite seafood dishes, so versatile it can be used as a starter, main meal and of course, a delicious tapa . . .

You will need:

1 kilo of fresh mussels
garlic
1 onion
1 glass of white wine
parsley
chilli pepper (optional)

How to cook:

• Clean the mussels thouroughly removing all "hair" from the shells

• Finely dice the onion, garlic and chilli pepper

• Put all the ingredients into a large pot or kettledrum, adding the wine

• Steam for about 10 minutes, (with the lid on) or until the shells have opened. Discard any unopened shells

• Serve with a basket of fresh bread

An alterantive way to steam the mussels is instead of wine, use water with the juice of half a lemon and add the other half of the lemon cut into thin slices during cooking. A light refreshing way to enjoy your mussels.