Mussels with Leeks, Sherry and Cream

Mussels with Leeks, Sherry and Cream

Ingredients

• 250g (9 oz) leeks, cleaned and roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely sliced
• 15ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
• 30ml (2 tbsp) butter
• 125ml (¼ cup) cream sherry
• 150ml (5 fl oz) double (heavy) cream
• 1kg (2 lbs) mussels, cleaned and debearded
• 60ml (4 tbsp) parsley, roughly chopped
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

1. Melt the butter in a large pan. Add the olive oil, then the leeks and garlic and slowly fry them.
2. After 5 minutes, the leeks should be very soft and sweet to taste. Pour in the sherry, turn up the heat, and simmer for 1 minute.
3. Add the cream, bring back to the boil, and add all the mussels. Simply boil with a lid on until all the mussels have opened, discard any that remain closed.
4. When the mussels are cooked, stir in the parsley and correct the seasoning.
5. Serve in a large bowl and let people help themselves.

Serving Suggestions

• Crusty white bread would do just nicely. For the gluten-intolerants boiled white rice works just as well.

Notes

• If you are not a fan of sherry, try Marsala or white wine instead.