Chilli and garlic mussels in a broth

Ingredients

• 500g mussels (washed and beards removed)
• 2 long red chillies, seeded and julienne
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
• 1 glass of white wine (or a couple of good ‘glugs glugs’ out of the bottle)
• 25g butter
• ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Method

1. Heat a wide pot on medium heat, add the chilli and garlic with a small amount of oil. Cook until garlic and chilli are soft but without much browning.
2. Add the mussels, white wine and put a lid on and bring to the boil. Gradually, reduce heat and simmer for about 6 minutes.
3. Add the butter and parsley then, with the lid back on, give the pot a good shake to mix the butter through. The mussels should all open up about now – take note of the ones that haven’t (usually about one per two dozen) and don’t serve them.
4. Serve in a large bowl with chips with all the both. The main purpose of the chips is mop up the broth so bread will also suffice in the place of the fries.

This recipe should serve 4-6 people and the recommended beverage to go with it is the rest of the bottle of wine you used in the broth or a dry beer such as Asahi or Kirin.