Island Life Magazine Ltd April/May 2012 | Page 155

Fresh mussels with
wild garlic
1kg fresh mussels • 115g unsalted butter • 1 clove garlic
peeled and finely chopped • 2 shallots peeled and finely
chopped • 200ml dry white wine • bay leaf • handfuls of
fresh wild garlic, chopped
Prepare the mussels by pulling away the hair-like strands
(beard) around the shell and scrub with a stiff brush under
cold running water. Heat 50g of the unsalted butter in a
large saucepan. When hot and foaming add the garlic,
shallots, wine and bay leaf. Cook over a medium heat until
the shallots are soft and translucent. Bring the shallots
and wine mixture to the boil. Add the mussels, cover the
saucepan, gently shake the pan and cook over a high
heat for 2-3 minutes, until the mussels open. Discard any
mussels that remain closed after cooking or are shrivelled.
Strain the mussels over a large saucepan using a colander
and set aside. Put the mussels into a large bowl. Retain
the mussel liquor in the pan and return to the heat. Add the
wild garlic and remaining butter and bring to the boil.

Guest chef: TERI WOOD
THE ESSEX, GODSHILL

Pour the mixture over the mussels and serve immediately.

Crisp skinned
chicken breast
2 chicken breasts • 1 courgette (top and tail and peel
whole courgette) • 8 baby carrots • 4 cloves of wild garlic

Tasty
and eas
y
to make
re c i p e s

(cook in oven in olive oil 10 minutes at 180ºC) • ½ block
butter • Juice of ¼ lemon • 4 asparagus • 50g pearl
onions • Salt and pepper
Boil some water in a pot and add asparagus and carrots.
Boil for 3 minutes then strain and put in cold water to
cool. In a pan put a touch of oil. When hot add chicken,
skin side down and cook for 3 minutes, season and turn
over to cook for 30 seconds. Then put back on skin side
and put in oven 13 minutes on 180ºC. In a pan put a
touch of olive oil and your skinned pearl onions. Cook for
2 minutes, add courgette peelings, asparagus and carrots
then cook for another 2 minutes. Add butter, lemon
Juice and a pinch of salt/pepper and cook for a further 2
minutes then take off heat. Arrange vegetables on a plate
with cooked garlic out of skin. Put chicken on top and

ASH MINSHULL
THE ALBERT COTTAGE

drizzle over butter from vegetables.

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