Directions

What are we cooking today?

1. Fresh is definitely best when it comes to mussels. When purchased from a fishmonger, they can be kept in the fridge for 24 hours. Place in a bowl or container and cover them with a damp cloth, do not keep them in water.

Getting started

1. Before cooking, wash the mussels with running cold water, and inspect mussels for any that are broken or open. If they are open, give them a gentle tap, and they should close. If the mussel stays open and shows no sign of movement, it is best to discard as it is likely dead.

2. Remove any tendrils or ‘beards’ from the side of the shell. Then they are ready to be cooked.

3. For the garlic bread, place garlic, chopped parsley and cubed butter, in a blender and blend into a paste.

4. Slice fresh baguette, cover with garlic butter, and cook in a hot oven or under a grill, until golden and crispy.

5. For the mussels, chop the garlic, onion and chili, and cook on a medium heat, in a large sauce pan with a drizzle of oil.

6. Once softened, turn up the heat to full. Pour in the mussels, white wine, passata and thyme, and cover with a lid.

7. After a few minutes, the mussels should be steaming. Give the pan a shake, holding the lid in place.

8. After 5 minutes, they should be opening, and you will need to keep shaking the pan to move them around.

9. Once they are all open you can turn off the heat. Keep the lid on until you are ready to serve. Finish with chopped parsley and a lemon wedge.