Spicy Catalan mussels, almond picada
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- Easy
- Serves 4-6 as a starter
Skip to ingredients
- 1kg musselscleaned and beards removed
- 100ml light olive oil
- 1 large shallotfinely diced
- 1 clove garlicthinly sliced
- a pinch chilli flakes
- a pinch paprika
- a pinch saffron
- 125ml dry white wine
- 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 2 tsp sherry vinegar
- to serve crusty bread
PICADA
- 100g blanched almondstoasted
- 1 clove garliccrushed
- 1 large slice white breadtoasted and torn into pieces
- a large bunch flat-leaf parsleychopped
- 100ml extra-virgin olive oil
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal320
- fat26.3g
- saturates3.5g
- carbs6g
- fibre1.8g
- protein10.8g
- salt0.6g
Method
step 1
Throw away any mussels that are open and refuse to close when tapped hard. Heat the oil in a heavy based, medium sized saucepan (big enough to easily hold all of the mussels). Fry the shallot, garlic, chilli and spices over a low heat and season. After 3 minutes, or when the shallot is translucent, turn up the heat and add the white wine. Let this boil for 2 minutes, then add the chopped tomatoes and vinegar. Cover and gently simmer for 15 minutes.
step 2
In the meantime, make the picada. Put all the ingredients except the oil in a food processor and pulse until well combined. Now slowly add the oil while pulsing until you have a thick pesto-like sauce.
step 3
After 15 minutes, taste and season the tomato sauce and add the mussels. Stir once then cover with a lid. Simmer for 4 minutes, or until the mussels have opened. Discard any mussels that have not opened and stir in 1 large tbsp of the picada.
step 4
Divide the mussels into bowls and spoon over some more picada. Serve with bread for mopping up the sauce.
