ingredients
serves 6
5 lb mussels
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
14 ounce canned tomatoes
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon ground cilantro
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 2/3 cups) fish or chicken stock
3 tablespoons fresh white breadcrumbs
method
1. Scrub the mussels well and discard any which are not tightly shut or which do not close when tapped and any with broken shells. Scrape off the beards and scrub the shells. Then soak the mussels in clean cold water for 1 hour.
2. Melt the butter with the oil in a saucepan. Add the onions and garlic and fry until softened. Stir in the tomatoes with their juice, the parsley, sugar, basil, cilantro and seasoning. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thick.
3. Meanwhile, put the stock in another saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the drained mussels in two batches. Cover the pan and cook until the shells open, shaking the pan. Remove the mussels with a slotted spoon. Discard any which are still closed. Remove the mussels from the shells and keep warm.
4. Stir the breadcrumbs into the tomato mixture, followed by the mussels. Strain the stock twice through cheesecloth inside a sieve to remove all grit, then stir into the mussel mixture. Heat through gently, then serve.
