MUSSELS COOKED IN VERDELHO (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

One and a half kilograms mussels
2 cups Verdelho
2 tablespoons springs onions, sliced
1 bayleaf
½ cup of cream
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons chervil, chopped
1 teaspoon butter
Freshly ground pepper

Method:

Bring wine, spring onion, bayleaf to the boil in a large pot with lid.

Add mussels and cover pot. Shake pot from time to time to move shells from bottom of pot to top.

After 10 minutes when shells are open, strain juices into smaller saucepan (leaving a small amount of juice behind so that no grit gets transferred).

Keep mussels warm.

Reduce liquid on rapid boil down to half a cup.

Add cream and return to the boil for 2 minutes.

Turn off the heat and stir in chevil, parsley and butter.

Add pepper to taste.

With slotted spoon place mussels in deep plates and coat with sauce.

Serve with crusty bread to mop up sauce.

Other species that can be used for this recipe:

Cockles. Delicious served with chilled Moondah Brook Verdelho.