fish

creamy mussels with smoky bacon & cider

servings
2 as a main, or 4 as a starter

method

Mussels are the future. They’re absolutely gorgeous, cheap, exciting, easy to farm and so quick to cook. The other brilliant thing about them is that they don’t need any feeding: they live off tiny plants that they filter out of the water so they actually clean the sea. I want to help you fall back in love with them.

I had my first mussel when I was about 7 years old and I remember it to this day. It’s so exciting to pick the first one out of the shell and enjoy it then use that shell as pincers to eat the rest, chucking the empty shells into another bowl. My kids love them – they’re great fun for kids to eat.

Put your bread on a screaming hot griddle, in the toaster or under a hot grill to toast.

Meanwhile, put a large pan on a high heat with a lug of olive oil. Once hot, add the sliced bacon then stir and cook for a couple of minutes, or until golden and crispy. Scoop the bacon out of the pan, leaving the flavored fat behind. Check your mussels, if any of them are open just give them a little tap and they should close; if they don’t they’re no good to eat so chuck those ones away. Add the mussels to the hot pan with the garlic, cider and a good lug of olive oil. Cover with a lid and leave to steam for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the mussels have opened and are soft, juicy and delicious. Shake the pan occasionally.

Meanwhile, rub your toasts with the cut side of a garlic clove and drizzle them lightly with extra virgin olive oil.

When all of the mussels have opened, they’re ready. Transfer them to a large platter, leaving the juices behind in the pan. If any of the mussels have remained closed, throw those away, they’re no good. Lay your toasts around the edge of the platter.

Stir the crème fraîche into the pan then let it come to the boil and bubble away for a couple of minutes. Add most of the herbs and a little of the bacon then have a taste and season with pepper. Give the pan a jiggle then pour the sauce over your mussels. Scatter over the remaining herbs and bacon then bang the platter in the middle of the table and let everyone tuck in.

ingredients

• olive oil
• 6 rashers smoked streaky bacon, the best • quality you can afford, sliced 1cm thick
• 1kg mussels, debearded and scrubbed clean (ask your fishmonger to do this for you)
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
• 150ml good-quality cider
• 2 tablespoons crème fraîche
• a small bunch of fresh tarragon, leaves picked and roughly chopped
• a small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and roughly chopped

for the toasts
• ½-1 loaf of good-quality rustic bread or ciabatta, sliced 2cm thick
• 1 clove of garlic, halved
• extra virgin olive oil

share this page

Pin It

keep up-to-date

daily recipe rss

new recipe rss

tried this recipe or a similar one? share your tips...

1. by Peter on Sat 03 Mar 2012 @ 18:33

I love this recipe, so easy and so delicious! But I do it without the creme fraiche, and instead of white wine I use red. And instead of mussels I use a sirloin of beef, and instead of in the pan I roast it in the oven for a couple of hours, with maybe some roast potatoes, carrots and peas and some horseradish on the side -----yummmy!

2. by Diane on Thu 16 Feb 2012 @ 00:31

Jamie this was AWESOME! (c: My honey and I made this for Valentine's Day and enjoyed it very much. I didn't know if cider meant apple cider, so I substituted the Sauvignon Blanc we were drinking (haha). Turned out great! Thank you!

3. by gema on Mon 13 Feb 2012 @ 22:02

Me gustaria leer las recetas en español, que en ingles me cuesta trabajo entenderla.

4. by Andrea on Thu 01 Dec 2011 @ 17:08

These are simply gorgeous, so easy to do and such a tasty supper with Frites as an alternative to bread. A little bit of sunny France in the winter

5. by jon on Mon 07 Nov 2011 @ 18:22

Really nice. I always used to do them with white wine, shallots, chili and chopped toms. So this was a bit different.

6. by batsheba on Thu 03 Nov 2011 @ 13:53

WHY or WHY spoil the great taste of mussels with 'creme fraiche' and bacon ?? the Dutch from the province of Zeeland has such an easy, healthy and TASTY way of cooking mussels and it takes less than 10 - 15 minutes to do so!!! TRY IT!!

7. by Jessica on Fri 23 Sep 2011 @ 16:35

An okay one for my personal taste. Its too sour cos of the cider and creme fraiche, I would cook it with single cream and white wine instead. Jamie have other better recipes.

8. by Rebel on Tue 13 Sep 2011 @ 14:43

My dad used to call mussels 'bait'. But he loves seafood and after many 'just try it...just try it's', he ate one that my husband prepared. He loves them now. I'm going to make my hubby use this recipe soon. Thanks! ;)

9. by john acraman on Sun 28 Aug 2011 @ 11:51

Happy memories of my time in devon as a kid at my uncles hotel and still love them today. its amazing how few people will just buy mussles and enjoy them for what they are :- versatile cheap and good for you !

10. by Fool for mussels on Sun 24 Jul 2011 @ 04:44

Holy cow, this is so simple and yummy! Thanks Jamie!

11. by john on Mon 04 Jul 2011 @ 18:38

A lovely recipe, however when frying the bacon I prefer to add a sliced onion. I also prefer to cook the garlic with the bacon & onion as, if the garlic is cooked briefly with the mussels, it can be a little too harsh. I also use white wine instead of cider.

leave comments