Serves
Four people
Ingredients
- 50g butter
- 50g plain flour
- Whole milk
- 1 kilo mussels
- 2 Tbls of white wine
- 2 Tbls water
- 300 fresh chard washed and courser stalks removed
- 4 shallots sliced
- 1 fat clove of garlic finely chopped
- Fresh white bread crumbs
- Half a lemon
- Grated parmesan (optional)
- Olive oil
Method
Set a medium sized pan over the hotter of the plates; (make sure it has a lid that fits it snugly). Add the wine, water and bring to the simmer. Throw in the scrubbed mussels. Toss them around the pan and replace the lid. They should open within a minute.
When the mussels are just opening remove them from the pan and set aside until they are cool enough for you to pick the meat from the shell.
Set a medium sized pan over the hotter plate. Add a splash of olive oil followed by the sliced garlic and sauté, just as it’s starting to colour throw in the washed chard and wilt it with the garlic for 2- 3 mins.
To make the Béchamel – melt the butter in a medium sized pan.
When it’s foaming add the flour and stir well. Combine the cooking liquor from the mussels with enough milk to give you 500 ml of liquid. Warm this in a pan and pour over the roux mixing all the time until it is smooth and creamy. Cook the béchamel for 4- 5 mins before removing from the heat.
Fry the shallots in a little olive oil over a medium heat until soft and golden.
Fold the shallots, picked mussels and cooked roughly chopped chard in to the béchamel.
Season with freshly ground black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Divide the mixture between 4 shallow oven proof dishes. Top with bread crumbs and cheese if you like and trickle over a little olive oil. Bake in the middle of the top oven reading middle of very hot, for 10 – 12 mins or until golden and bubbling.
Serve with crusty bread and butter.
