Lilly Higgins recipe: Roast mussels with zhug

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

First make the zhug. You can do this in either a pestle and mortar or in a food processor. Practically speaking, few people have a large enough pestle and mortar for this, so using a food processor or high-speed blender is fine. Blitz everything for the sauce, except for the oil, until finely chopped. Slowly drizzle in the oil while blending to a coarse paste. Taste for seasoning and set aside.

Wash and de-beard the mussels. Tap each one on the sink if it is open; if it doesn’t close, be sure to discard it – never take risks with mussels. Dry any excess water from the shells with kitchen towels and place the mussels on a baking tray.

Roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the mussel shells are open.

Discard any mussels that have not opened. Transfer the mussels to a wide serving dish. Serve right away with the crusty bread.