Mussels with bacon and cider

(Serves 4)

• 10g butter
• 8 rashers bacon, chopped
• 2 shallots, finely diced
• 1 bunch of thyme, stalk removed
• 1.5kg mussels, cleaned, scrubbed and debearded
• 175ml cider
• 30g crème fraiche
• 1 handful flat leaf parsley, stalks removed and chopped

Method:

Begin by removing any mussels which do not close when tapped on the counter. Once you have checked each mussel, clean all of them thoroughly under running, cold water, scrubbing to remove the beard from each mussel.

Place the butter in a large pan with a lid, big enough for all the mussels. Once the butter is melted, add in the bacon and cook until it’s crispy. Add in the shallots and thyme, cooking for a further minute.

Next, add in the mussels, covering with cider and placing the lid on the pan before giving it a good shake. Cook on a high heat for five minutes before shaking the pan again. Then check all the mussels are opened, and if necessary, cook for a further two minutes.

Remove the mussels from the pot, discarding any that have not opened. Place the pan back onto the hob, bringing it to the boil, adding in crème fraiche to cook for one minute. Pour this over the mussels and serve with a garnish of flat leaf parsley.