RECIPE FROM SPAIN:

Pepper Stuffed Mussels

Mussels are at their best in April and I love this delicious way to serve them for a delightful tapas dish or starter. It is a little fiddly but well wroth the effort.

You will need:

1 kilo large mussels, scrubbed and beards removed
1 medium red pepper, finely chopped
1 medium green pepper, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 sprig of fresh thyme
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 cup of milk
Salt and pepper
Manchego cheese, grated

Method

• Steam the mussels in a large saucepan for 5 minutes or so until opened. Drain and when they are cool enough to handle, remove each mussel and place in an oven proof dish spaced evenly apart. Keep one half of each shell.

• In a large frying pan, melt the butter and sauté the vegetables until softened.

• Add the flour and seasoning and cook for a few minutes then slowly add the milk until you have a nice thick paste.

• Cover the mussels with the vegetable mix and cook in a medium oven for 10 minutes or so.

• While the mussels are cooking, arrange the retained shells on a baking tray.

• Remove the dish from the oven after 10 minutes (turn the oven up to high at this point) and fill each mussel shell with a mussel and some vegetable mix. Take care as the mixture will be quite hot.

• Sprinkle with a little of the cheese and return to the oven for a few minutes until the cheese melts a little.

• Serve and enjoy.

Terracotta Cookware	Granada Ceramics	Bailen Ceramics	Jaen Ceramics