You will need
1 kg fresh black mussels in closed shells
parsley, chopped
1 x 200 ml Ina Paarman’s Ready To Serve Pepper Sauce
Cultivated mussels grown on ropes are free of sand and there is no need to soak them in cold water first, or to strain the mussel liquid after cooking. Mussels picked off the rocks, on the other hand, can be sandy and must be pre-soaked in clean water for 1 hour, and the cooking juices strained.
Method
Remove the beards from the mussels and rinse.
Place them in a large frying pan or saucepan.
Cover with a tight-fitting lid and place over a high heat.
Shake the pan and cook until the mussels open. ±5 minutes.
Remove the lid.
The mussels will give off their own delicious liquid while cooking no seasoning is needed. Add a handful of chopped parsley and the Pepper Sauce, stir through to mix. Serve with some good bread to mop up the delicious juice. Provide finger bowls with a slice of lemon.
Purists believe metal spoils the fresh flavour of mussels, so demonstrate to your guests how to eat the mussels by picking out the flesh with a pair of mussel shells used as pincers, instead of knives and forks.
