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Mussels with leeks & saffron

Mussels with leeks & saffron in a bowl

Mussels with leeks & saffron

Name: Mussels with leeks & saffron
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 3kg mussels; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 2 leeks trimmed, cut into rings and washed well; 2 garlic cloves finely chopped; a few parsley sprigs, some thyme and a few bay leaves, tied together to make a bouquet garni; 400ml dry sherry; 100ml dry white wine; big pinch of saffron; 200ml double cream; 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley finely chopped

Diana Henry

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Serves 8

More effort

Prep: 35 mins

Cook: 20 mins

A star rating of 5 out of 5.1 ratingRate

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Combine mussels with leeks, sherry, white wine, double cream, garlic and parsley to make this Spanish-themed dish. It makes a great starter or light lunch

Gluten-free

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Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

3kg mussels
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 leeks

trimmed, cut into rings and washed well
2 garlic cloves

finely chopped
a few parsley

sprigs, some thyme and a few bay leaves, tied together to make a bouquet garni
400ml dry sherry
100ml dry white wine
big pinch of saffron
200ml double cream
1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley

finely chopped

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Nutrition: Per serving

kcal339
fat20g
saturates10g
carbs2g
sugars2g
fibre1g
protein20g
salt1.1g

Method

step 1

Wash the mussels in a sink of cold water, removing any little beards and scrubbing any barnacles. Tap each one on the side of the sink – if the mussel doesn’t close tightly, discard it (also discard any with broken shells). Put the mussels in a colander (in batches) and rinse really well under cold running water.
step 2

Heat the oil in a large pan (or two pans if you don’t have one big enough to fit all the mussels). Sauté the leeks for 8-10 mins until softening, then add the garlic and cook for another few mins. Add the bouquet garni, pour over the sherry and wine, sprinkle over the saffron and bring to just under the boil. Stir to help the saffron flavour the wine.
step 3

Turn the heat down to medium-low, then add the mussels and stir. Cover the pan and allow the mussels to cook until they open (this will take about 4 mins), shaking the pan a few times. Remove the bouquet garni. Add the cream, stir and heat through. Taste for seasoning (mussels are always pretty salty, so you shouldn’t need to add anything). Scatter over the parsley, then transfer the mussels to a large, warm serving dish or serve them straight from the pan.

RECIPE TIPS

SWAP OUT THE SAFFRON

If you aren’t keen on saffron, you can alter this dish slightly by leaving it out and adding some sautéed chorizo instead for a gentle smoky flavour. Add about 110g chorizo, chopped and cooked in olive oil.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, November 2018

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