I once read somewhere that as we get older we see our past in technicolor and our future in shades of gray. I think there is some truth to this.
It feels like yesterday that I was traipsing back from school in my gray uniform, eager to get home in time for my favorite cooking show by British Celebrity Chef, Keith Floyd. In his 'Floyd On' series, back in the 80's he'd travel all around the world and cook in the most extraordinary locations - steaming fish on a boat in the Great Barrier reef, fixing kangaroo Osso Bucco in the outback or fixing spring rolls in the paddy fields in Thailand.
He was my first true introduction to world cooking and the philosophy that cooking is intuitive and about having fun, not about measurements. His motto "a splash of this" & "a dash of that" is a mantra I've long adopted since. I'll never forget his constant " Over to me, Clive" as he prodded his cameraman to zoom in on a piece of fish or the marbling on a steak.
He was an eccentric, thoroughly outspoken, nearly always politically incorrect, a swashbuckling Brit, a wine guzzler and by all accounts the way he was on television pretty much summed up the way he was in real life.
In his lifetime, he had over 20 cooking shows and even more books to his name. It is a well known fact that he never read or owned any of his books! So when after all these years, I sat in front of the computer and googled him, I felt my heart sink as I read this,
On Monday, September 14 2009, Keith passed away. He will be greatly missed by many.
I felt the loss of an old friend, one I had never met or who knew of my existence, but he had undoubtedly made a difference in my life.
As a teenager, if it weren't for him, I probably would never have been interested in cuisines from all over the world, made my first Vietnamese spring rolls, my first osso bucco or my first paella.
So here's to one of Britain's first celebrity Chefs, Keith Floyd and thanks to him, the very first mussels I ever fixed.
As in the words of Floyd, “Kissing Don’t Last, Cooking do!”
Prior to cooking, in a large stock pot, soak the mussels in tap water so the mussels are completely covered with water.
Add 1/3 cup corn meal. Soak for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. The corn meal helps remove the sand & dirt & settles it to the bottom of the pot.
Thoroughly rinse the mussels under running water. Pull away any beard or remaining dirt from the surfaces, scrubbing if needed with a soft brush. Drain away the dirty water and replace with fresh water. Set aside till ready to use.
Prepare the remaining ingredients -
Shallots - Peel & discard ends. Quarter and finely slice.
Garlic cloves - Peel and crush, leaving whole. Discard skin.
Basil -Separate leaves from stalks. Roughly chop with a knife and set aside.
Parsley - Separate leaves and finely chop. Use a mini-chopper if needed.
Tomatoes - Peel, discard skin and woody top.Chop & set aside.
In a large deep pot (large enough to hold all the mussels) heat olive oil and butter on medium heat. Once the butter melts add the garlic. Saute for about a minute till the garlic begins to bristle but not brown.
Add the shallots and saute for about 3 minutes till it softens.
Add the peeled tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Stir till combined.
Add the mussels and stir till the shallots coat the mussels. (the pic looks funky because it was so dark in the pot I had to use the flash on the camera)
Pour the white wine into the pot and add the herbs and saffron strands. Increase heat to high and bring to a simmer.
Lower the heat back down to medium and place a tight fitting lid on the pot. Cook for about 6 minutes till the mussels have opened up.
Taste and adjust seasonings. Discard any unopened mussels.
Serve immediately with a large loaf of crusty Italian bread to sop up wonderful juices. Sourdough is not a good choice because of its strong tart flavor.
It is impossible not to love the heady flavors of the mussel liqueur combined with the wine and herbs.
The saffron adds a delicacy and fragrance that makes it irresistible. Simple and delicious, this is a dish that is great for a family dinner as well as company. We made a meal out of this and ate in relative silence except for the clunk clunk of mussel shells as they hit an spare pot.
Yeah, It was that good!
Recipe for
Mussels in White wine, Saffron & Herbs
Preparation time - 30 minutes
Cooking Time - 10 minutes
Serves 4
Shopping list
2-1/2 to 3 lbs mussels
3 large shallots
1-1/2 cup fresh parsley (enough to yield 1 cup chopped)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
3/4 cup white wine
3 garlic cloves
2 large ripe tomatoes
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp saffron strands
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs butter
Preparation -
Mussels - Prior to cooking, in a large stock pot, soak the mussels in tap water so the mussels are completely covered with water.
Add 1/3 cup corn meal. Soak for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. The corn meal helps remove and settle and to the bottom of the pot. It also helps clean the surface of the mussels.
Thoroughly rinse the mussels under running water. Pull away any beard or dirt from the surfaces, scrubbing if needed with a soft brush. Drain away the dirty water and replace with fresh water. Set aside till ready to use.
Shallots - Peel & discard ends. Quarter and finely slice.
Garlic cloves - Peel and crush, leaving whole. Discard skin.
Basil -Separate leaves from stalks. Roughly chop with a knife and set aside.
Parsley - Separate leaves and finely chop. Use a mini-chopper if needed.
Tomatoes - Peel, discard skin and woody top.Chop & set aside.
Cooking Method -
In a large deep pot (large enough to hold all the mussels) heat olive oil and butter on medium heat. Once the butter melts add the garlic. Saute for about a minute till the garlic begins to bristle but not brown.
Add the shallots and saute for about 3 minutes till it softens.
Add the peeled tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Stir till combined.
Add the mussels and stir till the shallots coat the mussels. (the pic looks funky because it was so dark in the pot I had to use a flash)
Pour the white wine into the pot and add the herbs and saffron strands. Increase heat to high and bring to a simmer.
Lower the heat back down to medium and place a tight fitting lid on the pot. Cook for about 6 minutes till the mussels have opened up.
Taste and adjust seasonings.
Serve immediately with a large loaf of crusty Italian bread to sop up wonderful juices. Sourdough is not a good choice because of its strong tart flavor.
Enjoy!
