Black lip mussels are an often-overlooked seafood option for lunch or dinner, but they are a delicious and relatively cost-efficient ingredient.
Chef Matt Conquest said his black lip mussel recipe includes a base sauce and if you want to change it up you can add extra ingredients. Home chefs can create a creamy option by adding a teaspoon of fennel seeds and one cup of cream to the sauce.
Ingredients
Serves 2-4
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 golden shallots, peeled and sliced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 long red chilli, diced or chopped (optional)
2 cups dry white wine
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
Sea salt (Matt says not to season with salt until you try the sauce later during cooking.)
Good amount of cracked black pepper
2kg or 2 packs of live mussels, scrubbed and debearded
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped
200g spinach, optional
Crusty bread, sliced and grilled or fresh for serving
Method
- To make the sauce base, heat up a heavy-based pot to medium high for sautéing.
- Add the oil and golden shallots to the pot and soften the onions.
- Add bay leaves and garlic to the pot and sauté for a couple of minutes. Then add thyme, chilli, pepper and white wine and bring up to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and transfer into a bowl or dish so you can reuse the heavy-based pot.
- Wash the pot out, clean and put it back on the stove on high heat. Note: This sauce can be made ahead of time (even the day before).
- Now for the mussels. Make sure they are washed and ensure you don’t tip the bag juice into the recipe. Cook them quickly so they stay plump and don’t shrink hence getting the base ready first, so it is a nice quick cook.
- Heat your heavy-based pot with a good fitting lid to a high heat.
Once the pot is hot, remove the lid and tip the mussels into the pot. Put the lid back on and hold down so the mussels can quickly steam for two minutes. - Once the pot has settled down from its rapid steaming, carefully remove the lid, give the mussels a stir and then pour in the sauce base. Bring to the boil and give it a good stir to combine. Taste the sauce and season to your liking.
- To finish the dish, add the butter and stir through, then add the spinach and fresh herbs and stir through. Put the lid back on and turn off the heat. Put out serving bowls, either individual bowls or a big bowl to serve from the table. Serve with fresh or toasted/grilled bread.
