SAFFRON AND COCONUT MUSSELS
Saffron and Coconut Mussels provide a unique twist to the French classic moules marinière. The mussels are cooked in a fragrant broth using saffron, coconut, ginger, and chilli and served with delicious homemade flatbreads.
This bold and bright recipe was created for us by Ed Cudlipp, otherwise known as 'Cud Cooks', following its success when served at his Supper Club events in London.
Mussels are a relatively cheap, accessible seafood and are stocked in both fishmongers and supermarkets. With minimal preparation and 10-minute cooking time mussels are the perfect choice for a dinner party.
The broth can be prepared beforehand, and the mussels cooked for your guests while the starters are being cleared away. Serve the mussels soft with the homemade flatbreads topped with garlic butter. These are delicious and simple to make, using just two ingredients: flour and Greek yoghurt.
Ed uses the sharp, high-performing Signature Kitchen Knives to finely dice the ingredients and the stainless-steel Campden Casserole Low 4.3L pan with a lid to cook the mussels.
Serves as a starter for 4 or generous main course for 2.
INGREDIENTS:
Mussels and broth:
1kg fresh mussels
60ml olive oil
2 large shallots
2-inch piece of ginger
1 large red chilli
Small bunch of coriander
1 lime
Pinch of saffron threads
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp hot cayenne pepper
1 tbsp salt
400ml full-fat coconut milk
200ml dry white wine
200ml fish stock (or vegetable stock)
Flatbreads:
350g self-raising flour
350g full-fat Greek yoghurt
1 garlic clove
50g butter
METHOD:
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Prepare
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1. Start by preparing the dough for the flatbreads. Sieve the flour into a bowl and add the yoghurt. Combine this with a spoon until a thick consistency is reached. Then, use your hands to combine the dough into a ball.
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2. Dust a generous amount of flour onto a clean surface. Knead the ball of dough with the palm of your hand for 3-5 minutes, until a smooth consistency is reached. Place the ball of dough in a bowl, cover, and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
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3. While the dough is resting, finely chop the shallots, ginger, chilli, and coriander stalks (reserving the leaves for the topping). Set the chopped ingredients aside.
Prepare
1 - Start by preparing the dough for the flatbreads. Sieve the flour into a bowl and add the yoghurt. Combine this with a spoon until a thick consistency is reached. Then, use your hands to combine the dough into a ball.
2 - Dust a generous amount of flour onto a clean surface. Knead the ball of dough with the palm of your hand for 3-5 minutes, until a smooth consistency is reached. Place the ball of dough in a bowl, cover, and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
3 - While the dough is resting, finely chop the shallots, ginger, chilli, and coriander stalks (reserving the leaves for the topping). Set the chopped ingredients aside.
Cook
1. In a large casserole pot, heat 30ml of olive oil on a medium-high heat. Fry off the shallots, ginger, and chilli in the hot oil until softened.
2. Add the turmeric and cayenne pepper powder and fry off for a further 30 seconds.
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3. Deglaze the pan with white wine, and then add the fish stock and coconut milk.
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4. Add the saffron threads and salt, bring the broth to a boil, and then simmer on a low with the lid on.
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5. Now, prepare the flatbreads while the broth is simmering. Using a sharp knife, slice the dough into 1 inch x 1-inch squares. On a floured surface, roll these into flatbreads about 1cm thick using a rolling pin.
Cook
1 - In a large casserole pot, heat 30ml of olive oil on a medium-high heat. Fry off the shallots, ginger, and chilli in the hot oil until softened.
2 - Add the turmeric and cayenne pepper powder and fry off for a further 30 seconds.
3 - Deglaze the pan with white wine, and then add the fish stock and coconut milk.
4 - Add the saffron threads and salt, bring the broth to a boil, and then simmer on a low with the lid on.
5 - Now, prepare the flatbreads while the broth is simmering. Using a sharp knife, slice the dough into 1 inch x 1-inch squares. On a floured surface, roll these into flatbreads about 1cm thick using a rolling pin.
6. Heat 30ml of olive oil in a non-stick pan on a high heat. Add the flatbreads and toast on each side, turning every 20 seconds, until browned and blistered.
7. Place these in a very low oven to keep warm while you make the garlic butter. Melt the butter on a low heat and add finely diced garlic. Gently cook this until softened and infused in the butter, ensuring the garlic does not burn.
8. Add the uncooked mussels to the simmering broth and turn the heat to high. Cook the mussels for 3-5 minutes until the shells of the mussels have completely opened.
Assemble
1. Add the mussels into the bowls, pouring generous ladles of broth over the mussels.
2. Top the mussels with coriander leaves.
3. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
4. Brush the flatbreads with the garlic butter and serve the flatbread on top of the mussels.
Serve and enjoy.
6 - Heat 30ml of olive oil in a non-stick pan on a high heat. Add the flatbreads and toast on each side, turning every 20 seconds, until browned and blistered.
7 - Place these in a very low oven to keep warm while you make the garlic butter. Melt the butter on a low heat and add finely diced garlic. Gently cook this until softened and infused in the butter, ensuring the garlic does not burn.
8 - Add the uncooked mussels to the simmering broth and turn the heat to high. Cook the mussels for 3-5 minutes until the shells of the mussels have completely opened.
Assemble
1 - Add the mussels into the bowls, pouring generous ladles of broth over the mussels.
2 - Top the mussels with coriander leaves.
3 - Finish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
4 - Brush the flatbreads with the garlic butter and serve the flatbread on top of the mussels.
Serve and enjoy.