Ingredients
- 200g linguine
- 10ml rapeseed oil
- 400g mussels, bearded and scrubbed clean
- 100ml white wine
- 20ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 pinch dried chilli flakes
- 100ml double cream For the garlic crumbs
- 30g butter
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and grated
- 2 handfuls parsley leaves, one roughly chopped, 1 finely chopped, to serve
- 40g fresh white breadcrumbs
Preparation
- Boil the linguine in a pan of salted water until al dente, drain, reserve a cup of the cooking liquid, then run the pasta under cold water until cool and set aside.
- Meanwhile, put a very wide pan for which you have a lid over a high heat and add the rapeseed oil. When smoking hot, empty in the mussels, cover and cook for a minute, then pour in the wine. Cover again and steam for a few minutes until the mussels are just beginning to open – you are going to cook them again, so they need to be juicy when you take them off the heat. As they open, scoop them out with a slotted spoon into a sieve, re-covering the pan and giving it a shake in between. Reserve the cooking liquor.
- Leave to cool, discard any unopened mussels, removing half a shell from each of the rest. Lay out the mussels on one or two baking sheets in a single layer. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in the mussel pan, add the shallots and chilli, season well and fry gently, until soft. Add the cooking liquors and cream, then reduce the sauce until it coats the back of a wooden spoon.
- To make the breadcrumbs, melt the butter in a small frying pan over a medium-high heat and, when it is sizzling gently, add the garlic, parsley and breadcrumbs. Fry for a minute or two to cook out the rawness of the garlic, then season with salt and pepper. Use a teaspoon to top the mussels with the breadcrumbs.
- Heat a grill to its highest setting and grill the mussels until golden and smelling delicious. Toss the pasta in the wine and shallot sauce, then transfer to wide, shallow bowls and top with the grilled mussels and a scattering of parsley.
Notes
If there are only two of you, consider omitting the pasta and just doing the grilled mussels – serve with crusty bread, a crisp, green salad and some crudites and anchoïade for a thoroughly French experience. The breadcrumbs are also wonderful on any stuffed, roasted vegetables such as aubergines, courgettes and peppers.
