Franco's Mussels

Ted Baghurst

Ingredients

1	Onion, diced
24	Mussels, fresh green-lipped (Main)
3 cloves	Crushed garlic
1 tsp	Fresh rosemary, finely chopped
½ cup	White wine
2	Red chillies, or 3 dried or 1 fresh red chilli, diced
1 can	Diced tomato, 400g
400 g	Tomato puree, (1 tin)
12	Kalamata olives, de-stoned
½ cup	Cream
1 to taste	Freshly ground black pepper

To serve

1	Salad greens
1	Crusty bread
1	Shaved parmesan
1	Salad dressing

Directions

1. Method:Clean mussels and pull the beards off.
2. Add a splash of olive oil to a heavy bottomed pot and gently fry onion and garlic.
3. Turn up the heat and add mussels, tins of tomatoes, wine, rosemary and chili.
4. Cook on high with the lid on until mussels have opened and give the pot a shake.
5. Add the cream and swirl, so that the cream doesn't curdle.
6. Add olives and pepper.
7. Serve in a large deep bowl, with some warm crusty bread and a fresh green salad of rocket, baby spinach and parmesan shavings, topped with your favourite dressing.

Note: the chillies don’t make this dish hot, they just bring out the flavour. If you like it hot, you know what to do.