Mussels and clams in wild garlic broth

Serves: 4
Course: Main Course
Cooking Time: 0 hr 20 mins
Ingredients
  • 1 kg mussels, cleaned and de-bearded
  • 500g clams, cleaned
  • Pinch of dried chilli flakes
  • 300ml cider
  • A good knob butter
  • 2 tbsp wild garlic puree
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Few twists black pepper
  • For the wild garlic puree:
  • 2 heaped handfuls of wild garlic leaves
  • Enough sunflower oil to make it turn around in the food processor
  • Salt and pepper
  •  

1. You will need a pot with a lid for this, or a large wok would be great.

2. Put the mussels, clams, chilli flakes, cider and butter into the pot.

3. Bring to the boil with the lid on as quickly as possible.

4. Turn once or twice with a wooden spoon.

5. When the shells begin to open, add the wild garlic puree, lemon and black pepper.

6. Cook for one more minute until the shells are fully open and serve with some lovely bread to mop up the juices. To make the wild garlic purée: Wash and pat dry the leaves. Cut them roughly with a sharp knife. Put into liquidizer or food processor and blitz with the oil until fine. This will keep for two to three weeks in the fridge. Make sure there is a thin layer of oil on the surface to protect the purée.

Paul Flynn

Paul Flynn

Paul Flynn is a chef, restaurateur and contributor to The Irish Times. He and his wife, Máire, run the Tannery restaurant and cookery school in Dungarvan, Co Waterford