Ingredients
500g fresh mussels
1 clove garlic
50g chopped onions
70g cherry tomatoes, halved
80ml white wine
5ml extra virgin olive oil
5g parsley, finely chopped
100ml fish stock
2 slices Maltese bread
50g black olive paste

Method

Clean and rinse the mussels well and leave to drain in a colander.

On low heat, sweat the onions and garlic in extra virgin olive oil. Cover with a lid for two minutes, then uncover and place the mussels.

Cover again and continue cooking until the mussels open. Remove from the pot and set aside.

Add the cherry tomatoes and the wine and reduce the liquid by a third.

Add the cream and simmer gently until the cream starts to thicken.

In the meantime, remove the mussel shells that have no meat. Clean excess sea water greens.

When done, add the herbs to the pot, season the sauce as required and pour in the mussels. Stir gently and serve.

Serve with toasted Maltese bread spread with olive oil.

Tip: Do not overcook the mussels as they will get rubbery.

Stephen Borg Saydon is an Executive Sous Chef, The Westin Dragonara Resort, St Julian’s.